Princess Mononoke Element Cycle Book 1
by 4fireking
Summary: What happened after the Forest Spirit. When Ashitaka is told he has to return home but he decides to stay in Iron Town? This is a book series telling you what will happen. There is new characters, new locations, and San and Ashitaka's love story will finally be told the way fans want to know.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Mononoke.

**Princess Mononoke was one of my favorite movies of Hayao Miyazaki. I've been meaning to write a fanfiction of it but didn't know where to start so I sat down and thought real hard about how to start. I guess it wouldn't take place during the movie because it would just be copying Hayao Miyazaki's story. I want to see Ashitaka and San's relationship after the movie. I hope they don't make a sequel in the film franchise otherwise this fanfiction will be useless. Please read, review, and be awesome.**

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The Forest Spirit lost its head and the world was almost consumed by its body looking for that head. A young Emishi prince named Ashitaka and the feral but beautiful wolf girl of the forest San gave the Forest Spirit back it's head. The Forest Spirit got rid of it's evil water stopping it from destroying the land and gave everyone a field of grass. The smog lifted, the iron was destroyed, the lakes were restored, but the trees wouldn't grow back. The Kodama, who showed up in peaceful and protected forests were gone. Only a few remained. One day they would return after Ashitaka rebuilds Iron Town.

Ashitaka talked to Lady Eboshi. It was amazing how happy she was to see him after he foiled her plans and lost her arm. She wasn't at war anymore with the Moro Clan, Boar Clan, and any human clan that were rude and opposed her. She lost many of her cohorts when the Great Forest Spirit attacked Iron Town. Her henchmen Gonzo lost his position as her number one henchman after the battle and gave that position to Ashitaka. Ashitaka didn't like everyone thinking of him as one of Lady Eboshi's henchman. He only agreed to this position so he could help the villagers rebuild.

The curse that almost killed Ashitaka he was starting to miss. He missed the strength the curse gave him. He could lift anything big in this village, push a door that required ten men to open, and survive wounds he couldn't have if he was an ordinary man. Yukal was glad his cursed body was healed. Yukal was a red elk Ashitaka used instead of a horse. Yukal was Ashitaka's only friend when he left his village for a cure. Finding friends on his journey was hard. There was Jiko-bō a wandering monk and mercenary he met who was close to Ashitaka, but he was responsible for the Forest Spirit's beheading. He didn't act alone but he was the leader. Ashitaka would make sure the forest got justice for what Jiko-bō did, but if it wasn't for Jiko-bō he wouldn't be cured.

"Ashitaka, can you help us?"

Toki with four other ladies who worked the bellows and her husband Kohroku were riding on top of a cart. The cart contained pieces of wood longer than a six foot tree branch. The five ladies were waving to Ashitaka. As Toki described him, Ashitaka was cute at first but turned out to be gorgeous. An anonymous boy who works hard was a glowing chance for each of the woman. They flaunt their joy every time saw him. They even let him do work in the bellow, holding onto their kimono's and laughing. So far the relationship between him and San, as they hear it, isn't official so there's still a chance one of these former prostitutes would take Ashitaka to their bed, and the only bed they had now was the grass. Ashitaka finally walked up to the cart and picked up the wood.

" Looking good," Toki said giggling as Ashitaka carried the wood to a spot a village said was his home before he left it to the Forest Spirit and stuck the wood in the dirt. " Now all we need is iron and we'll have real homes."

" We can't use iron anymore, honey cake," Kohroku said making all the five woman even his wife glare at him. " Hey, I'm not saying Lady Eboshi caused all of this. I'm just saying if the forest creatures weren't happy from the start why did we persist on using something other than...you know...iron."

" You were an ox driver!" Toki accused pointing her finger at Kohroku. He shuddered every time his wife gave him that look. " If you don't like it than you can sleep outside."

" Come on, sweet'em. You wouldn't let me sleep in the cold ground, would you?" Toki raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, and everyone else including Ashitaka laughed. " Would you?"

This is where Ashitaka wanted to stay for his new home. He was no longer a prince, but he had a good control of his destiny. Strange to think of this as his new home. It wasn't like he could just forget about his village, his sister Kaya, and everyone he knew being raised. He never thanked them for their help. What he didn't know was one of them found him.

" Prince Ashitaka." He recognized that voice. It was hoarse and sick like he had a cold. He was someone Ashitaka knew growing up and was his mentor. Toki saw him and wondered how he could even ride a horse with his body the way it was. Ashitaka turned and froze.

" Ji-san." Ji-san was an old bearded man in red robes with a turnip hat. He bowed to his prince Ashitaka. " It's good to see you...completely cured. He was right. The boar Nago's curse is gone."

" Ji-san...I don't want you to think it's rude, but why are you here? I thought I wasn't allowed to go back to the village."

" Wait, you know this guy?" Toki asked pointing at Ji-san and then at Ashitaka. " You're a prince and he banishes you? You should be banishing him!"

" It's alright, Toki. The village was doing what was right."

" The village is no more. It needs you, Ashitaka. Your sister is gone."

**I know having two author is kind of strange but I wanted to clear a few things after reading this. I know this story has unnecessary information and I used wikia to get the names of these characters, Princess Mononoke Characters, but I didn't use the information in the sheets or give a description of what they look like in there so it's okay, right. Now that I have finally written a Princess Mononoke story, not really a story you want to read, I guess I'm going to be moving on to stories everyone might want to read. Thanks for reading this story, cool dudes and girls. I try to get one hundred views everyday and you helped reading this chapter. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

By: Soul Raider 116 using starter material from 4fireking

I like this beginning. I think all collaboration stories should start like this. Anyways, this author is going to publish this same story on her account. I want everyone to know that I gave her permission. But I'm still keeping this story on my profile. And if there's a rule that says she can't keep this story there than I have no choice but to ask her to delete it. I'm not going to delete my story first. This is a message from 4fireking.

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Ashitaka moved away from the growing group of men and women who had occupied the former Iron Town. Their gazes were flicking back and forth between the Emichi prince, the old man, and one another as they murmured, keeping their neighbors updated on the fresh gossip about the man who had saved their lives. A prince! Who would have guessed it? The former brothel girls were aquiver with the thrill of it, each dreaming of their very own prince charming to carry them even further from their previous life. The bellows was a good site better than a brothel, but to be royal was a dream come true!

Casting a look at Toki that clearly let her know he did not wish to be followed by the throng of villagers, Ashitaka lead Jii-san to the waterfront where only a short time ago the Forest Spirit had fallen and died. As he sat, his legs tucked neatly beneath him, the former prostitutes observed from a distance, noticing how regal the posture seemed.

Trying to ignore the murmurs behind them, the prince turned his attention to the elder before him, only to see the man had scooped a handful of water and was preparing to sip from his cupped palm. While the water might be safe, there was no guarantee that the malevolent energy that the Forest Spirit had unleashed across the land after it's head had been taken hadn't seeped into the cool looking waters upon it's demise, "Evil has been in that water."

With a start, the old man stared at the clear, refreshing liquid he now held nearly to his lips, a grimace of disgust coming to his lips and he held out his hand with a sigh, spilling its contents back into the cursed waters. He really was quite thirsty, having made the trip as quickly as an old man dared. The grimace turned into a grief stricken expression as he was reminded of the reason for his haste, "Ashitaka, I want you to know I never wanted you to leave Emishi. But you had no chance of living staying there."

Patiently the prince waited for him to finish, for it was obvious there was more to say. After all, Jii-san had already mentioned that the village was no more. While the old man paused, Ashitaka barely registered Toki calling for Gonza to keep the Iron Town villagers (particularly the women) away from the meeting while she and Kohroku made the guest properly welcome. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, but was only a few moments, the watchman concluded, "The council...they're all dead."

" What about Hii-sama?" Ashitaka tried to remain calm, though his voice quavered as he spoke, leaning closer to Jii-san. " What happened to her?"

"The wise woman is unfortunately dead, Ashitaka," Jii-san paused again, letting the bad tiding settle in, unable to meet the prince's eye as the young man's expression grew steadily more concerned, "She died two days after you left from a stroke...at night when the rest of us were sleeping."

It was just as those last words were being uttered that Toki made her way past the crowd trying to catch some hint of what was going on with Ashitaka and proceeded into the meeting, giving a warning look to Gonza as he tried to stop her. She was showing their guest hospitality, and she wasn't about to let that oversized lapdog stop her! Kohroku followed closely, stopping just behind his wife as the outspoken woman handed a drinking bowl to Jii-san, "Forgive me for the way I was suspicious of you earlier. Any friend of Ashitaka can't be so bad."

Eagerly the watchman accepted the bowl, lifting it to his parched lips and sipping, though a bit too hastily as a small amount tried to force its way down the wrong way, causing him to let out a ragged cough. Toki and Kohroku exchanged worried glances, and even Ashitaka seemed to show mild concern as the hacking fit lasted a few moments before the old man lifted the bowl once more, taking a smaller sip this time before speaking, "Thank you for your water. Ashitaka has told me how evil has touched your water and made it undrinkable."

"Thank my wife for being so considerate," Kohroku said, his tone so sweet and adoring that it immediately caused said bride to wonder whether he was just sucking up to her.

"Aren't you going to give him that rice in the Furoshiki cloth like I asked?" Toki arched a brow as she tested her theory with the question. If he'd done something stupid, for instance eating the rice intended for their guest, then he was sucking up for sure!

"That was for him?" Kohroku blinked with marvelously feigned innocence.

With her own eyes mimicking his actions, Toki's fists balled in anger, trembling at her sides as she forcibly reminded herself that she loved Kohroku, and she need him to drive the oxen once Iron Town was rebuilt. Thus, she managed to abstain from actually crashing her fist into his skull, "I love you, but you are a complete idiot sometimes. How you can live without me baffles me so much it makes me want to laugh and hang my head in shame."

Seeing the marital dispute, Jii-san was at first unsure of how to react; should he try to offer words of comfort, helping the couple reconcile; or perhaps he should simply assure them the rice was not needed, despite how famished he really was. A quick glance was given to Ashitaka, in hopes of getting some clue as to how to react to his friends, but the prince was simply smiling and Toki; a bemused, sympathetic and understanding expression. It was then that the watchman realized this was a common occurrence, another way for the wedded pair to show their affection. The realization was followed with a warm chuckle, that soon turned into a hearty laugh. Soon enough the others were chuckling along.

The laughter couldn't last for long, however, and they were soon reminded of their grave situation when Kohroku cleared his throat and spoke up, deciding they had wasted enough of Ashitaka's time with his amusing marriage to an overbearing ex-prostitute, "If you want us to, we can go right now…"

"Stay," Jii-san invited the pair, making up his mind on the spot that he liked them, and that they might be important to whatever fate had in store for young Ashitaka, "If you are friends of Ashitaka, then you should hear this information too."

A glance was cast to their comrade, silently seeking his confirmation that it was alright for them to stay, and only once the prince had nodded did Kohroku and Toki sit next to one another, facing the Emichi men, "After you left the village, a spy used night as a cover and destroyed all of our weapons. He was an expert at what he did. When he left, the weapons looked completely fine; these men in red and white, an army, charged down our hills and took us by storm. I watched everything...the slaughter of our people...in the watchtower. The soldiers never knew where I was hiding.

All the while that Jii-san was speaking, Ashitaka's face was growing dark, a strange expression creasing his features that Toki and Kohroku couldn't recall having ever seen before. Pain and anger swirled into one ugly emotion as he imagined the horrified screams of his people, and the fact that he hadn't been there to protect them. His eyes narrowed fiercely, then with a gasp they sprang open as he locked a sharp, pleading gaze onto the elder, "Kaya! You didn't see Kaya's body back in the village, did you?!"

"Who's Kaya, Ashitaka?" Toki asked, her tone delicate yet full of fear and concern. Clearly this girl was someone important to the prince, someone he cared deeply for. Her mind raced with possibilities, from family member, to a lover he'd been forced to abandon when he'd been banished.

"I'll answer that," Jii-san murmured softly, thinking it easy enough to answer Toki's question and Ashitaka's at the same time. He drew a deep breath, steadying himself for a difficult reply, "Kaya is Ashitaka's sister, his younger sister if I might point out. He left her behind, the same as everyone else in the village, after he was banished. I never found her body...but she may have been there. Those soldiers...they burned our village down after the massacre...along with the bodies."

Silence hung thick in the air as the heavy response settled over them. Ashitaka's hands trembled in fists upon his lap, a fear and anger like he hadn't felt since the curse had been lifted filling him. Toki and Kohroku exchange glances full of sorrow and concern for their dear friend. This was not what a reunion should be.

As the solemn atmosphere settled into place, it radiated to the crowd that Gonza had been keeping in line as best he could. Slowly the villagers began to trickle off, going back to the tasks they had abandoned. Whatever was being said, they had finally realized, was none of their business...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After a while of waiting for help from Soul Raider 116 I finally finished it. This chapter is short. If I didn't have a busy life it would be longer, but I do and I'm sorry about that. But I'm sure more stories were shorter than this one. Please read and review.

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There is a forest not named because it was destroyed. When the spirit of the forest tried to get back it's head the forest was destroyed. The forest was remade...emptier from the animals leaving. Only one tribe of animals stayed in this forest hoping to bring it back to it's glory. Her name is San and she was with her brothers. San's brother's are wolves, her mother was a wolf, she speaks the language of wolves to the animals, but San's blood is human. No matter how much San looked human or sounded human her heart would always believe she's a wolf.

No one liked the wolf girl. She killed many of Iron Town villages for what they were doing to the forest. There were some who could never forgive her. Ashitaka was one of the only humans who cared about her. He visited her twice. The first time they didn't know what to do so her wolf brothers helper her. They played a game. The humans would hide and they would find them. The rules were they had to hide together. The brothers, thinking of their sister, acted like they wanted to find her but simply wanted her to have fun with Ashitaka. The second time winter finally came covering the burned ground and broken tree limbs. They played in the snow riding on the wolves. Ashitaka and San have never touched lips or hangs. Every time Ashitaka goes back he hugs San good-bye, nothing more.

San hears noises in the forest. In her coat she takes out a long knife with a red hilt. She put the knife away when she sees it's Ashitaka. " Ashitaka." San smiles. Her smile ceases when she sees him wearing his hood and pulling Yakul by the reins. " You're leaving Iron Town?" San was no longer sad. She thinks Ashitaka was finally going to live in the forest with her.

" San I'm leaving to Emishi Village." San no longer had that smile on her face. " I'm not leaving tomorrow or tonight. I'm leaving when I get back to Iron Town."

" Good for you," San says in an angry tone.

" I want you to go with me." San couldn't believe what she heard. Her cheeks turn red. She felt like fainting. " Not just you. Toki, Kohroku, Ji-san, and Yakul."

San's face turned into a frown. " I'm a wolf. I can't leave the forest and I can't bring my brothers. We would be ripping each other's throats out on the road."

" San." San looked at Ashitaka's beautiful blue eyes again. Near the water they were twinkling. It warms her heart. " My sister is gone...I fear she might be dead. Her name is Kaya. I missed her birthday."

San realizes she's only been thinking about herself and not of Ashitaka's feelings. Ashitaka leaves with Yakul.

" Wait." Ashitaka and Yakul stopped. "You were always nice to me Ashitaka. People like Lady Edoshi and all humans have hurt me. I've only been thinking about the badness in humans and not the good stuff. Maybe seeing you with those humans will show me not all humans are bad."

That was the corniest thing San ever said and it wasn't easy for her. She immediately felt like a fool afterwards. Ashitaka wrapped Yakul's reins around a tree and walked up to San. San was starting to expect something. She expected the moment where Ashitaka would put his lips against hers. Ashitaka put his arms out—unexpectedly—walking closer to hug San. Ashitaka's hugs were warm, but they didn't help her heart.

After Ashitaka hugged her they walked to Yakul. Ashitaka used his strength to lift her onto Yakul's back. " Yakul can only carry one person on his back. You ride and I'll walk beside you."

Yakul acted by himself without Ashitaka giving him orders. He walked towards Iron Town with Ashitaka walking beside him. Ashitaka wasn't holding his reins. Ashitaka was a good person, San was reminded of that every time Yakul obeyed him and never left him. It was a long walk to town. Time would go faster when San went to sleep. She closed her eyes and waited until the warm sound of Kodama jingling put her asleep.

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San was waken up by her body moving to the right. Yakul was stepping on the road. She looked at where they were. She was no longer in the forest. Yakul was walking on the road. When San opened her eyes she saw Toki glaring at her because she remembered what she did. San covered her head in Ashitaka's cloak that was on her back. She hoped this journey would end soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**I would like to thank Squeeb100 who I asked for help. Soul Raider 116 is still helping me with this story. Squeeb100 not only edited the chapter I sent him but also added more into it. Thank you Squeeb100. And thank you loyal viewers who have read and reviewed my story. I put all my soul in my author note when I say I appreciate getting to work with fantastic authors. Please read and review. **

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The cracked and dry mud of the road was hot underfoot as the band of travelers continued on their way to meet the emperor. San, seated atop Yakul, removed the wolf pelt from her back, and Ashitaka, who walked next to his steed and San, wiped sweat from his forehead. Toki, walking beside her husband, turned back to shoot San a glare, remembering the lives that the wolf girl had taken, and then turned to fix Kohroku with the same glare for no apparent reason.

The journey continued in this way as they traversed the land, through rain and heat and even snow. Wind buffeted the small band at times, and at others they could only wish for a cooling breeze. They traveled over snow-capped mountains and through river valleys, through swamps and expansive fields. Amongst the bickering companions was a kind of peaceful air, one of safety; even if some of them didn't get along, they at least trusted each other enough to turn their backs.

"Hmph," Toki snorted, raising a hand and bringing it down across her snoring husband's cheek. The sound resonated through the clearing that they were crossing as Kohroku jumped in surprise, jolting the reins and causing the oxen to sidestep.

"I'm awake," he growled after setting them straight, rubbing his cheek irritably and looking menacingly at his wife.

"Keep the oxen moving," Toki commanded. "We can't have any delays. Time is of the essence."

"I'm aware," Kohroku retorted.

Up ahead, Ashitaka was keeping stride with Ji-san. He stopped abruptly when the older man halted at the top of a steep hill – more like a ridge, really - overlooking a field. Ji-san squinted, shielding his eyes from the sun with a hand.

" What do you see, Ji-san?" Ashitaka asked, squinting himself. Although he was many years younger than the former watchman, Ashitaka knew that Ji-san's sight was unrivaled. All that the young man could make out were blurred shapes among the brush of the field, but Ji-san could, without a doubt, see clearly everything that lay ahead.

"People are lying dead at the base of the hill," the old man grunted.

"Could they have fallen down?"

"Yeah, they did. They fell after bowmen fired arrows in their hearts. They even fired arrows in the horses heads. Thorough, weren't they?" Ji-san chuckled a little in spite of the sight before him, sentimentality washing over him for a moment. "This reminds me of those times you used to climb up my watchtower. The last time you climbed up there a giant pig violently ripped it apart. It was amazing when all the town worked together to bring it back to life."

Ashitaka turned his gaze to Ji-san's tired eyes, smiling sadly. "I wish I could climb it again, but I'm banished, if you haven't forgotten."

"Sorry, the banishment is permanent," Ji-san smiled in sympathy. "The Emishi are like birds, protecting their nest. You ever take a baby bird out of it's nest, boy?"

"Once, when I was very little, just to look at it. But when I placed it back in, the parents wouldn't accept it. I think they smelled me on the baby. They forced it out of the nest. I felt terrible."

"That's just what I'm saying, Ashitaka," Ji-san said, without elaborating. "But I guess our birds swallowed the wrong worms. Our nest of birds has been charred and burned to rubble. Every night I see them dying over and over again."

"Another reason for us to reach the village as soon as possible," Ashitaka remembered gravely.

"San, just collect the reins – no. Hold them a little higher. Stop yanking. You have to steer with your legs on horses. You're confusing him, that's why he's pivoting like that. Just – ah." Ashitaka sighed as he watched the girl's expression grow stormy.

"I can do it, just wait. Dumb horse won't go where I tell him's the problem. Just a second, be quiet," she commanded.

"San, he doesn't know what you're doing. Neither do you," Ashitaka told her.

"Shh." San lifted the reins abruptly, causing the horse to throw his weight back on his haunches. San, with an expression of shock on her face, slid from the saddle and onto the ground, where she crouched, growling at the spooked animal. Ashitaka rolled his eyes and took the reins in his hand, calming the horse.

"Get back on," he commanded. "And sit. I'm going to show you how to ride properly."

"Why do I have to do this, anyway?" San asked, still crouching on the ground like a feral beast.

"Because we brought a horse for you, and I need Yakul free to ride in case something happens and I need to go fast. This is easier than riding wolves, just get up and I'll help you."

"Fine." San begrudgingly did as she was told, and was soon in the proper position on the stallion. In a few more moments she was riding down the road like she had been born on horseback.

"See, it isn't so hard," Ashitaka encouraged her.

"Mm," San replied.

"You've been very quiet, San," Ashitaka pointed out, her lack of speech reminding him that he had hardly heard her voice at all the past few days. "If you want this journey to end soon you'll have to at least try to talk to someone."

"Why should I bother?" she asked bitterly. "They all hate me anyway."

"They don't hate you, they're just a little slower to welcome you. After all, you did kind of...you know, try to kill them all. You don't like them, either," Ashitaka pointed out. "You've got to be nice to them if you want the favor returned."

"Right," San replied, unconvinced. The conversation was cut short, however, by Kohroku's startled scream, followed by his wife's cry of,

"Just who do you think you are! Hey now, wait a moment!"

Ashitaka whipped around on Yakul, startled to see the cart being ransacked by at least seven men atop horses. He kicked his mount's sides and nocked an arrow, shooting it at a bandit, who fell to the ground. His cohorts continued circling the cart, closing in so that there was nowhere for it to go. One of the bandits lifted a torch and tossed it into the cart. Ashitaka heard San's gasp as the cart burst into flames, then gasped himself as she leaped from her horse's back and darted toward the flaming cart.

Toki grunted, whipping around and punching a bandit in the nose. He cried out in pain and retreated, followed by several of his band.

Kohroku, yelling in surprise at the flames licking his back, leaped off of the cart and smacked into another of the bandits, who crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Kohroku stood staring at the body of the man for a moment before scampering off.

When all but one bandit had either retreated or been dragged away, Ashitaka noticed San poised over the bandit that he had shot down; he was still alive and struggling, and San held a knife to his throat.

"San!" Ashitaka cried. "Don't kill him."

"He'll just rob and kill more if no one puts a stop to this," San retorted, pressing the knife deeper into the man's neck. At Ashitaka's reproachful glare, however, she sighed and moved off of the man, allowing him to limp after his cohorts, the shaft of an arrow still protruding from his leg.

"Where did they come from?" Kohroku asked once the dust had settled and the companions had managed to stop the flames.

"They were waiting for us," Ashitaka answered. "There's smoke in the mountains. It must have been from the fire they were setting camp. We should have been on alert."

"Their weapons were the same as the men who knocked those poor souls down the hill a ways back," Ji-san remarked.

"And they destroyed our supplies," Toki said.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

This chapter was finished with the help of Squeeb100. I'm sorry for the long wait but I've been tested and I think Ghilibi Studio doesn't care that I'm making a sequel of their story. In this chapter I wanted to make a hero of my own. Please read and review.

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"They destroyed all our food?" Kohroku asked nervously for verification, and Toki nodded, rolling her eyes. "How are we suppose to get to the emperor if we don't have any food? We'll die before we get there."

"That part is clear," Toki snapped back, crossing her arms and beginning to tap her foot nervously. Kohroku set to pacing the clearing, muttering to himself under his breath, and Ashitaka bit his lip, deep in thought.

"I have an idea," Jii-San suddenly broke into the group's nervous breakdown. "This may be difficult, but there may be people who can help us."

"Who?" Toki asked. She couldn't hide the eager tone that her voice held, even behind her mask of sarcasm and worry.

"Farmers. A young boy and his mother. When I was passing by to Iron Town I saw a boy feeding the pigs and a mother dusting her rug. There may be a father involved in all of this as well. They're the only ones nearby with food, as far as I can tell."

"So we're going to the farm to ask them for food, right?" Toki asked.

"It's not that simple," Ashitaka put in. "My last adventure taught me many things about humans. I was too trusting before. People never do anything unless they get something back in return."

"But we have nothing," Kohroku cried. "They destroyed everything. The only thing we have left is the horses and the oxen, and we can't even ride them."

"Then we'll give them the oxen, dummy," Toki said, batting her husband on the head with the back of her hand.

"I don't think oxen are a fair trade to them," Jii-San argued gently. " All I saw was a pig farm and a sign saying they took boarders."

"Did they offer any breakfast?" Kohroku asked hopefully. "I'm starving."

"You're hopeless!" Toki gasped.

"We're not trying to get any rest," San spoke for the first time since the attack. "We'll take turns sleeping on the horses. The horses don't need to sleep. We can trade them for rested horses."

"Ashitaka is riding a red elk. We can't trade him for a horse," Jii-San returned.

"Yakul is my friend. I wouldn't trade him for anything."

"How old is the mother?" Kohroku asked, steering the group back to the subject at hand.

"What does it matter?" Jii-San eyed the man suspiciously.

"Well if she's the same age as you we can give her one consensual night. Maybe she'll feel so good she'll let you take whatever you want. Her food and maybe a horse. If she's Ashitaka's age, we can make him give her a consensual night."

"The boy I saw was the same age as Ashitaka," Jii-San said, his embarrassment evident. "And I'm much too old for her."

"Well I can't spend a night with her. I'm married to Toki."

"Still. You're still married to me," Toki asserted. "And if you betray that, well..." Toki chuckled and cracked her knuckles, "You're still alive and still married, but if you continue down this path to polygamy, you can count that still as a were, in my book."

San nodded viciously and glanced at Ashitaka, agreeing with Toki, for once. "And if you give yourself over to that woman, I'll stab you in the chest. And if you don't want to be stabbed, I'll stab myself."

"This is all very optimistic, but standing around here is not getting us any food," Jii-San pointed out, distracting the bloodthirsty women from their prey. "Let's just go to the farm."

"And work ourselves real close in with that pig boy's mother," Kohroku grinned, flinching when Toki brandished her fist toward him. When he turned away, Toki sighed.

And so began the journey back. The group of travelers slowly followed their own footprints along the dirt road, leading the oxen by the reins, until they came within sight of the farm.

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Sweat trickled down the young man's face as he mechanically sowed seeds by hand. Dirt was caked under his fingernails, and his dark hair flopped over one eye, resisting all efforts by a headband to withhold it.

"Shōjubu." The boy looked up, pausing his work at the sound of his mother's voice. He watched as the middle-aged woman, her oversized mudboots coming almost to her knees, trod through his newly sewn vegetable patch. "Can you please deliver this note to Sōhō Dōkono? Not now. Once you pack your toolkit, yes."

"You're asking me to help fix Mr. Dōkono's house?" the young man asked, hesitance clearly written across his face.

"Mr. Dōkono often says people who're blind would rather hear the comforting sound of a friend than a paid carpenter. He can't see faces, but he does see character. Your character is his favorite."

Mr. Dōkono had often told Shōjubu things like this himself; the boy had known his neighbor since he was a child, and had long known that Dōkono was anything but ordinary. Not only was he blind, but he was strangely suspicious in all of his kind ways. Every time Shōjubu was sent to Mr. Dōkono's home, he returned feeling strangely drained. This exhaustion was most likely caused by the twelve armed men that could always be found somewhere around Mr. Dōkono's property. After much speculation and studying, Shōjubu had decided that Mr. Dōkono was a rebel against the Emperor.

Despite his odd nature, however, Mr. Dōkono was a kind man. He was always willing to talk to Shōjubu, and the boy often left his home feeling wiser than he had when he had woken up the very same morning. He assumed that Mr. Dōkono had taken the place of a father figure in his life since his birth father had died years ago. He hadn't been ill or injured, but had been found mysteriously dead one morning; Shōjubu's had been distraught, but his mother hadn't shown any sorrow whatsoever through the entire ordeal.

Clapping his hands together to rid them of dust, Shōjubu set down his seeds and trotted toward the house. He climbed the partially rotted stairs to his room to retrieve his tools, and paused in the doorway of his room when he heard a hiss. He sighed.

"Don't be in my room when I get back, Glam," he ordered his pet. He reinforced his command when all he received was a hiss. "I mean it. Bad kitty."

When the cat didn't move, Shōjubu rolled his eyes. "I guess you can't do any harm, though," he said, beginning to pack his tools. He paused when he heard his mother's defensive voice from the window. He stood up and went to the front door to investigate, followed by Glam.

"Are you with Sower?" his mother was asking suspiciously. "People who follow Sower are not welcome here."

"Greetings," a young man bowed politely in response to the rude welcome. He appeared to be the youngest man in the party, and held something that looked like a deer by the reins. "I don't follow Sower, but I'm not against Sower either. We are on our way to (nam). We just don't have any food to make it there. We were hoping that you would allow us to board and supply us with provisions."

Before Shōjubu could react, Glam darted out the door and toward a girl who looked like the party's youngest member, hissing. The girl gave the cat one look and...growled. Glam jumped, hair on end, and darted back into the house.

"Give me one reason why I should give my food to you," Shōjubu's mother asked snidely, unfazed by the exchange.

"All we are asking for is a little food. If it's a matter of money we'll be sure to repay you once we have the means," the young man assured her.

"Are you kidding me? Do I look like some kind of fool to you? The only people who get free things are thieves, and there are no thieves on our land."

"Mom," Shōjubu interrupted, leaving the house behind. "I think we should let them have some of our food – it can't hurt anyone."

"Just because other homes give money to wanderers and the poor doesn't mean I do. We're poor enough as it is - I don't care what sob story these ingrates come up with."

"All I'm saying is these people look honest enough. They said they'll give us money, and they said that they're in trouble. Have a heart!"

"Shōjubu Hiroshi, don't you speak that way to your mother. Go back inside and leave this to me."

"But Mom—"

"Now, Shōjubu!"

With a sympathetic glance back at the travelers, Shōjubu returned to his room.

"Please…" Ashitaka tried one last time to convince the woman to help them.

"Get out."

Slowly, Ashitaka turned and left her property. The rest of the group followed, and they set off down the road again, unsure of their destination.

"We can't survive without those supplies," Kohroku said.

"What choice do we have?" Toki asked. " It's not like we can just go back there and force them to give up their food. She's just a mother who is trying to feed her son. If we had kids and someone asked us for food when it was limited then we would do the same thing as her."

"Well, that plan didn't work. Does this mean we can…?" Toki glared at her scheming husband, causing him to trail off with a shudder. "Maybe later."

Jii-San sighed. "We've come so far, and this is it. We're done. We'll never make it, we'll never save Kaya, and we'll end up dead." Everyone paused and turned to the man, surprised to hear him being so pessimistic.

"Wait!" The group stopped and turned to see the boy from earlier, Shōjubu, sprinting down the road as fast as he could while burdened by a pot. They waited until the boy reached them and collapsed on the ground, panting. He had set down the pot roughly, causing corn, rice, and beef to splatter in small amounts around the pot and on his arms and face. The boy blushed, but picked up the pot and presented it to Ashitaka.

"Why are you giving this to us?" Ashitaka asked, taking the heavy pot from his hands. "Won't your mother get mad at you?"

"I stopped caring about what my mother does to me," Shōjubu grumbled, but his nervous posture suggested otherwise. "Besides, she thinks I'm delivering a letter to a Sōhō Dōkono. She doesn't know me. She doesn't know I don't want to be a pig farmer, that I have a destiny."

Shōjubu looked nervously at San, who was eyeing him with great suspicion, her distrust of humans still evident. Her stomach growled audibly, however, and she backed down.

"Can we eat now?" Kohroku asked.

Shōjubu giggled, motioning for the group to follow him to the side of the road. They tied the oxen and horses to a tree and sat in a circle.

"So where are you five traveling to?" Shōjubu asked as he offered every member of the group a slab of beef.

"To the Emperor." Ashitaka replied, biting into his meat with great hunger. He felt better about his manners, however, when he looked at San, who was quite literally wolfing her provision down.

"Wait," Shōjubu paused with a piece of beef halfway to his mouth, appearing startled. "You're going where?"

* * *

It was not long before the six travelers, Shōjubu included, as he he joined them shortly after hearing their destination, arrived in the town where Ashitaka had first met the red monk, Jigo. Surprised that this route would take the group to the Emperor, Ashitaka asked about it. Jii-San told him that it was a shortcut.

Shōjubu tuned out from this conversation, looking around. He hadn't been outside his own tiny village in his entire life, and the sights and sounds of even this town were overwhelming. He paused beside a black tent when he picked a voice out of the ruckus.

"The emperor is not very happy," he heard a man say inside the tent. Curious, Shōjubu poked his head through the entrance of the tent. Three men wearing black yukata were seated around a table, speaking gravely with one another.

"What do you want us to do?" another of the three men asked. "Ever since the day Iron Town lost all its iron from that spirit, there have been men saying she controls the beast and are scared she will release it on them."

"Those men are idiots!" the first man retorted sharply. "She has no iron, no weapons, and no defense. I say we bring the cavalry down on her."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

This chapter was finished with the help of BlackSabbath4Ever. It's funny. I used to feel guilty about asking for people's help with finishing my chapters but then I realize there's always a different writer for the same TV series. It may not be me who completed this chapter by myself but I don't feel guilty about it. They were all good writers, better than me, and I'm just writing what comes naturally to me.

* * *

"The emperor doesn't want to kill Lady Eboshi," The second voice said.

"He only wanted to share Iron Town with her. Without iron there's no need to go after Lady Ebashi." The third man added, "No need to worry about her anymore. Word has spread that she had her arm ripped off by a wolf. It's funny. They thought no animal could show his fangs to her."

Shojubo listened to the men in the tent laugh about Lady Eboshi. Shojubo had no idea who she was or why they were making fun of her. He only knew someone had to save her from these people. Shojubo would fight them all if he had to without Ashitaka's help. A knife hung from his belt, nothing meant to be used as an actual weapon, but still sharp enough to cut through flesh. Light from inside the tent revealed the position of the three men. The rest of his company was elsewhere, but he didn't need them. Surprise was on his side.

Shojubo burst through the folds of the tent and was greeted by a smashing blow to his head. The world turned upside down and he found himself staring at the top of the tent, a glowing lantern by his side. Three men stared down at him, one holding back laughter, one shaking his head in disappointment, and the other cracking his knuckles.

"Thought I heard somebody outside." The grinning man said.

"Boy, I don't know who you are, but I know that you've made a mistake," The man cracking his knuckles remarked. He was the biggest of the three. His nose was crooked and his beard was tied in a knot.

"So, who sent ya? Was it Eboshi? She already know that her standing with the emperor's dropped?"

Shojubo didn't reply. He glared at the three men standing above him. None of them carried swords, though he was sure that the scabbard of a katana was sitting by his feet. One man was carrying a club, the same which knocked him to the ground.

"That doesn't matter now, does it?" The stone-faced man said, "I can't have you go around and run your mouth to Eboshi or anyone else." He walked to Shojubo's feet and picked up the katana resting by them. "Take him outside. I don't want to get blood in our tent and these peasants know better than to interfere in our business."

"What? No! Get off of me!" Shojubo barked as he was lifted to his feet by the two others. He kicked and clawed at them, though they held him fast. One of the two were holding him under his arms while the other grabbed his legs. They carried him out of the tent and to a nearby tree. The man holding his legs threw them down and kicked Shojubo in the head. His vision flashed white before returning to normal, and the next thing he saw was the faces of frightened villagers as he stood with his back against the tree. The second man tied his arms behind the trunk. Despite his best efforts to free himself, the bindings were too tight. "Who are you?!"

"Shut up." The third man replied as he exited the tent with an unsheathed katana. "You peasants need to learn that you shouldn't interfere in the matters of those above you." He approached Shojubo, spinning his sword as if this were a game. Shojubo kicked to no avail. The bark of the tree drew blood as he struggled against the bindings.

"Ah! Son of a bitch!" The man exclaimed as he reached for his neck, feeling what he thought was an insect bite. An annoyed look on his face slowly transitioned to horror as he felt what caused the sudden sting. He pulled out a dart from his skin, the iron tip doused in his blood. His skin quickly covered in sweat and his hands began to shake. Slowly, his once-confident stride came to a jerking halt as his breathing escalated and his heart raced.

"What's wrong boss?" One of the two men asked. Their boastful sneers vanished as they watched their companion drop to one knee, then the other. They rushed over to him to see what was wrong, and they too saw the dart which struck him. His eyes rolled back, leaving only the whites visible, and he collapsed face-first into the dirt road. Not one moment later, a young woman rushed out from the gathered crowd, armed with two rusty, old-aged daggers. The two men were too distracted by the crowd's shocked gasps and their own fear to notice. Shojubo watched as the woman cut down both men in one swing from each arm.

"Who is that?" One man asked in the crowd.

"She's an outsider, has to be," Another replied, "I've never seen her in town."

"Did she arrive with those other outsiders?" One woman asked the man to her side.

"Don't think so. They're over at the boarding house, anyway."

The woman sheathed both of her daggers in a pair of leather scabbards. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the blue moonlight, accented by her long raven hair, ruby red lips, and calm brown eyes. She had a lithe, athletic figure built up from years of physical activity, covered by loose cerulean trousers tucked into a pair of black boots, a pair of leather bracers, and a long-sleeved shirt under a vest. Without a word, she picked up the fallen man's katana and approached Shojubo. Shojubo stood tense as she walked past him and cut the ropes binding him to the tree. He turned to face the woman, who stared with no expression at the man she freed.

"Th... thank you." Shojubo sputtered out. The woman wordlessly offered the katana to Shojubo, who shook his head in response. "No, no thanks, I'm not trained in using weapons like that."

The woman dropped the katana by the tree and strolled over to the three fallen men. She began to rifle through their pockets, ignoring their money while she searched for something else. As Shojubo stared on in awe, he heard somebody call his name from the crowd.

"Shojubo!" Ashitaka shouted as he broke through the mob. San and Toki followed close behind, the former with her spear in hand. "What happened?" He demanded before noticing the woman kneeling next to the three corpses. She glanced up at Ashitaka, stood up straight, and bowed. "Who are you?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that." The woman replied in a clear, low voice, "It would be disadvantageous to reveal my identity to strangers." She turned to Shojubo and said, "You should know better than to carelessly face those who outnumber you, even if you have the element of surprise at your side."

"Yes, sorry." Shojubo muttered, still bewildered and stunned from the whirlwind of events that had transpired.

"Why did you attack them in the first place?" The woman questioned.

"They sounded like they were conspiring against Lady Eboshi."

"The leader of Irontown? I've never been there, though I've heard that she fought against the spirits of the nearby forest."

San's eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth. Ashitaka lay a hand on her shoulder to calm her, making her ease up slightly.

"I suppose I should explain why I attacked these men, but can we do so away from all of these people?" The woman asked as she eyed the crowd. Shojubo nodded and asked Ashitaka to bring them to the rest of the group.

They had rented multiple rooms for the entire party. Ashitaka and San were in one room, Kohroku and Toki in the other (the only room with a single bed rather than two separate), and Jii-san and Shojubo in the third. The group gathered into one to hear the woman's explanation.

"My home was destroyed by an army," She began, "We were in a region under the control of no daimyo in particular, though we kept to ourselves with no care for the rest of the world around us. I was away when the attack happened, exploring the nearby forests and a few caves in the area. When I came back, my village was in flames and everybody had perished." The woman bit her bottom lip and grimaced, though she continued her story, "There were a few things spared by the fire: the knives I carry, the clothes I'm wearing, and some rope I use to this day. It's been two years since then and I've been making my way to the emperor to receive an answer as to why this happened. This is his land, after all; he should know why this happened."

The rest of the group listened silently. Jii-san knew well what she was talking about, and San could empathize to a certain extent. Ashitaka couldn't imagine the horror of coming home to see everybody you knew dead and your house in flames. A similar thought made Toki and Kohroku freeze in terror.

"You've been doing this alone?" Jii-san asked.

The woman nodded. "Those men I killed, they were spies who work to help their own lord gain power at the expense of others above and below him."

"We were going to see the emperor as well." Jii-san said, "Something similar happened to my village."

The woman remained silent and expressionless. "I wish you luck on your journey. As for myself, I should leave before somebody comes to find me."

"Why not travel with us?" Shojubo asked. Everybody in the room turned to face him, surprised at the sudden question. "We have similar goals and it would be safer to venture with multiple people."

The woman stared at the ground, contemplating her options. True, there were many advantages in traveling with a group of people. At the same time, there were several downsides.

"Give me one night to think about it," The woman replied, "So long as it's fine with the rest of your friends." She stood up and walked to the door. "I'll return here tomorrow morning once my decision has been made." Without another word, she left the room and strolled down the hall.

"Do you think it would be a good idea to have that woman with us?" Kohroku asked, "She seems dangerous."

"She's also probably wanted." Toki added.

"If her home was destroyed by the same men who destroyed the Emishi, then I don't blame her for wanting revenge." Jii-san remarked, "I don't know if I agree with her actions, but I can understand her position. Should she wish to travel with us, I see no harm in allowing her."

"Of course she'd want to kill the people who destroyed her home," San growled, glaring at Toki and Kohroku for a brief moment, "I'm already traveling with you other humans. Another can't be too much harm, I suppose. Besides, she seems capable in battle."

"I agree," Ashitaka said, "She wants justice for the suffering her family and friends went through and answers as to why it happened."

"Then it's settled then?" Shojubo asked. Ashitaka, San, and Jii-san seemed to favor the idea. Toki and Kohroku appeared less enthusiastic, but they nodded their heads as well.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Again this chapter was finished with the help of BlackSabbath4Ever again. I also like to thank one author who helped me find BlackSabbath4Ever. He says not to say his name because people like to heckle authors who know me. Hope you enjoy the seventh chapter.

* * *

"Who sent this?" Lady Eboshi asked while she read the message she was handed.

"A messenger from a distant town, milady." Manami, one of Lady Eboshi's handmaidens, replied. "He was given the letter by a boy named Shojubo."

"Hm. I'm not familiar with that name. He mentions he's traveling with Ashitaka and some of our own townsfolk."

"They must have met while traveling to the capital. Perhaps he has a reason to go there as well."

"I see." Lady Eboshi mused as she handed the message to Manami. She wasn't sure what to make of the newfound information. All she knew was that a man named Shojubo, a name which rang zero bells, discovered a possible plot against her. What she wished was that the message mentioned the name of her detractor. Ashitaka and the others were likely too busy to figure it out for her. "This is something I need to deal with personally."

"What?" Manami blurted out. Several other women in the room echoed her reaction. "Milady, you aren't considering leaving Irontown, are you?"

"That's exactly what I'm thinking." Lady Eboshi replied with a mischievous grin, "You don't expect me to simply let this go, do you? It's difficult enough being a woman in power; I can't afford to allow somebody to sully my reputation."

"But milady, you've only one arm. You shouldn't travel in such a condition."

"Nonsense; I must play my part in this political campaign. Besides, there's no reason I can't bring along help if needed."

"But-"

"I won't be swayed. We're going to start by finding out who wants to cut the ground out from under my feet. Where's Gonza? There's work to be done."

* * *

In the boarding house, most of the group was having trouble sleeping. Toki and Kohroku had fallen asleep with ease. Outside in the stables, Yakul rested on the hay strewn about the floor. Starlight peered through their windows. Jii-san sat on his bed. Shojubo was lying down, silent but still awake. Ashitaka was in the room with them. He asked Jii-san why he couldn't sleep and the elderly man shrugged.

"Are you having nightmares?" Ashitaka asked.

"No, that would probably be better." Jii-san replied with a somber grin, "Those provide me

with some comfort in the end because I know they're not real."

Ashitaka sighed and scratched the back of his head. He wondered how everybody else was feeling at the moment. Toki and Kohroku didn't seem to be too distressed, though everybody else seemed tense. The woman they met earlier in the night was another matter weighing on their minds. Without much more to talk about, Ashitaka returned to San. She was standing at the window, gazing at the pale moon hanging above the trees.

"You can't sleep either?" Ashitaka asked, standing by San's side. She noticed him enter but didn't turn away from the window.

"Yeah," San replied, "There are too many humans around here."

"They're all in different rooms, though."

"Yes, but I can still smell them. I can hear their snores and their shifts in position as they sleep. It feels strange being in the presence of this many humans."

Ashitaka sat on the edge of his bed. He rubbed his eyes, too tired to keep them wide open. San stretched out her arms and yawned, though she still couldn't manage to relax. Her breathing was normal but her heartbeat was faster than normal. She paced back and forth across the room. After several minutes more, a low growl escaped her throat and she punched the wall to her right. The bang it created made Ashitaka jump.

"Sorry." San sighed as she sat down on her own bed, legs crossed and head in one hand. Her chest felt heavy. She would have preferred to sleep outside.

A knock at the door caused them both to raise their heads. Ashitaka worried that San's brief outburst bothered one of the other guests. He stood up and answered the door. Standing at the door was Shojubo.

"Hello, Shojubo," Ashitaka greeted, "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just heard a crash from the room and wondered what happened." Shojubo replied.

"Oh, sorry; that was San."

Shojubo turned his eyes to the savage girl sitting on the futon. She glared back at him, though her eyes had less enmity than whenever she saw Toki or Kohroku. "I have something that might help." He suggested as he began rummaging through his pockets. From a inner pocket in his tunic, he pulled out a bracelet. It was a collection of sea shells, a rainbow of bright colors, strung together by a thin beige rope.

"What's this?" San asked as Shojubo offered it to her.

"It's something my father gave to my mother. He couldn't get much sleep while she would complain about their troubles."

"Did your mother tell you that?" Ashitaka asked.

"No, one of the men I work with told me about it. I'm pretty sure most of the people I work with know; I've heard them talk about it." Shojubo sighed as his face darkened. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. You shouldn't worry about it either; I'm only staying with you guys until we're done with the emperor."

Ashitaka could tell that Shojubo wouldn't be moved. He wondered what was troubling him so much, but he didn't push the subject at his request.

"I should return to my room now." Shojubo said with a large yawn, "Sleep well, you two."

"Goodnight." Ashitaka bowed. San was fiddling with the bracelet as Shojubo shut the door on his way out.

As the inn lay silent, full of sleeping bodies, one man lay awake in his moonlit room. He wasn't sure why he waited for everybody else to fall asleep. Maybe he was just embarrassed. Shojubo reached into his pockets and retrieved a small silver bell. Normally he would keep it suppressed while traveling, but with everybody asleep, he had no problem letting it ring a bit. The small clink of the bell brought a tear to his eye. Despite the sting it brought him, it helped him fall asleep, the last one in the boarding house to do so.

* * *

Morning came in what felt like a short while. Everybody was ready to continue on their journey despite the hardships they'd encountered. Toki and Kohroku seemed cheerful. Jii-san appeared determined to reach the Emperor and find the answers he wanted. Ashitaka was just as ready to meet the Emperor; he had never seen the man, though from what he had heard, they were polar opposites. San stretched out her arms and legs, ready for another long day of marching alongside humans.

The woman they met the day before was already waiting for them on the ground floor of the inn. They weren't sure how long she had been waiting. She noticed them descend the flight of stairs and stood up from the cushion she was resting on.

"Hello, miss..." Shojubo greeted before realizing she never revealed her name. Nevertheless, the woman bowed silently.

"I've thought over it and decided that I will ally with you, at least until we reach the capital." The raven-haired woman announced, "However, I won't be traveling alongside you for most of the journey."

"Why is that?" Jii-san asked.

"It would be better if I didn't walk with you. Trust me. In any case, I'll still help you if we run into trouble and I'll join you at the camp for sleep."

"Will you just follow us or...?" Kohroku's voice trailed off as he tried to work out this woman's mode of operation.

"I'll remain close yet out of sight. There will be less trouble that way."

"Ah... alright."

"We still don't know your name." Toki pointed out.

"I'll tell you in time." She said. "Anyway, before we go, I should probably tell you that some soldiers passed through here last night."

"Were they doing anything out of the ordinary?" Ashitaka asked, "It isn't too strange for soldiers to come through, is it?"

"Not as far as I know, especially in these times, but they were asking around for a group of people and a number of the descriptions matched your's and your's." She said, pointing to Ashitaka and San respectively. "They mentioned a few others that may have referencing the rest of you, as well, but I didn't hear them clearly. They left town already and appear to have headed down the path we're taking."

"What do you think we should do then?" Shojubo asked, "Is there no other path we can take."

"Not unless you want to go off the road. That shouldn't be too bad unless you get lost in the forest."

"Forest?" Kohroku stammered.

"Yes, a large, quite dense one. Fortunately, I may be able to do something to get them away. Of course, we can always try to go through the forest and hope to not get lost, or take the longer route by walking around. It would be unwise to fight them, by the way. There are ten of them, each one carrying three different weapons and armored with plate. There's also the possibility of sneaking past them, but there are too many of us to make that a complete success; the elk's size doesn't help either."

Everyone in the group glanced at one another. They didn't want to take too much time by circling around the forest. Toki and Kohroku were adamant in remaining on the road if they were heading into a forest. San wasn't sure if heading into the forest on a whim was wise, as she knew nothing about the awaiting woodland and couldn't guarantee precise navigation.

"Are you sure you can draw them away?" Shojubo asked.

"Yes. I'll get them away from the path and inform you when it's safe." The woman answered.

"Alright, I say we try it."

There was a unanimous nod of approval from the group. They ate a quick light breakfast before heading out. Ashitaka retrieved Yakul. True to her word, the woman broke away from the group and kept her distance, vanishing from sight after a while. San could still detect her by her scent, though even her eyes couldn't tell where the woman had gone.

Several hours passed. The noontime sky was bright and cloudless. Atop a hill, the group could see the treetops of the distant forest. San could barely make out the glint of a man's sword. They were too far away for her to hear. Their scent was too faint for her to make out how many awaited them. She could pick up two different scents, though she suspected far more. As they scanned the distant woodland, the woman returned to the group.

"Wait here. I'll hurry back when everything is safe. After they've been distracted, the window of opportunity will be small, so act quickly."

"Understood." Ashitaka said. The woman nodded and made her way towards the forest, keeping away from the road. She forced her mind to forget everything except the soldiers in the forest. Last night, she counted ten when they left town. If they hadn't acquired another ally, she could pull off something to lure them away.

The woman ducked behind the bushes and crept with her head low and legs crouched. She took out a raw fish she purchased the night before, its pungent stench causing her wrinkle her nose. Her skill and cunning wasn't the only thing she was relying on. Luck would have to be on her side to make this plan work. Fortunately, it only took her half an hour to find what she was looking for. A small black bear cub was running through the forest, the exact animal she kept her eye out for. Before long, it picked up the scent of the fish, though it didn't approach her. Unfazed by the beast's reluctance, the woman tossed the rotting fish into the air and caught it. This time, the bear inched closer to her. As it came within an arm's reach, she smacked it on the nose and jumped back.

A groan escaped the stunned animal, and it only took a few seconds for its mother to burst through the bushes, roaring and growling at the woman. The woman took off in the direction of the soldiers, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the bear wasn't too close. Two more cubs had joined her. It was just the right amount she needed to drive them off. Without having to creep through the trees, it took the woman only a few minutes to reach the soldiers. They heard her approach and demanded she halt. In response, the woman tossed the fish at the soldiers and ran up a tree, grabbing every branch on the way up. One of the soldiers fired an arrow just before she leapt, managing to graze the enraged mother bear.

The large bear's target changed immediately. It roared at the group of soldiers and charged head on. None of the others had their bows ready, and seven of them had laid down their weapons while resting. Despite the armor protecting them, they feared it would be futile when facing the raw power of a bear. Their captain ordered the group to split away. Without hesitation, the soldiers retreated in six different directions. Where they last stood, the mother bear was standing and roaring, her three cubs surrounding her. The woman hopped down from the tree and ran back to the group. As she looked behind to see if the bears were following, she noticed one of the cubs eating the bait she threw.

The woman explained her actions to the group as they passed through the edge of the forest. Kohroku couldn't believe it when he heard it; a fish sounded too comical to have been the catalyst of the soldiers' retreat. Shojubo complimented the plan. Unorthodox as it was, it drove away the soldiers on the road. Their swords lay where they last were, untouched by everybody while they passed. If their weapons vanished, the soldiers would have guessed something further was amiss. After they could no longer see the edge of the forest, the woman broke away once more.

"I hope she doesn't get lost in here." Toki said, "You can barely see past all these trees."

"I think she'll be fine." Shojubo remarked, "She managed to defeat ten soldiers without a single weapon."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I wanted to write a story without any curse words but I fail sometimes. I think curse words in a book or a move make everyone think it's okay to swear. More words is good for the brain but these words are just things angry people say because they want attention. But enough about what I almost wrote for an article, the chapter is here. BlackSabbath4Ever helped write this chapter. BlackSabbath4Ever might even help with the chapter after this one. I hope you enjoy it so lots of people can read it and I will get lots of views that will probably help me write something.

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The group continued deeper into the forest. It wasn't as dense as the forest San called home, at least when it was at its peak, though the canopy blocked more light. They couldn't see far beyond a few rows of trees. A gallery of animals made noise throughout the area. Lizards rustled through bramble, squirrels broke off the twigs they leapt off, and birds sang a symphony of chirps. Many of the scents were familiar to San despite the different location. Among them, she could detect the young woman who had been helping them. She wasn't sure what to think of her. Her mistrust of humans was almost universal, but she didn't feel the same level of suspicion towards the girl.

As they continued their journey, unsure of the time due to the obscured sky, San picked up the scent of another human; then another, and another. Soon, she picked up no less than a dozen humans. The smell of smoke lingered among them. A stronger scent of blood floated around the distant group. San told everybody to halt as she pinpointed the origin.

"There's a large group of humans somewhere around there." San said as she pointed to the north, "Something about them feels wrong."

"Do you think it's necessary to investigate?" Jii-san asked.

"Whoever they are, they're coming closer." San paused for a brief moment and added, "They have horses, as well."

"If they have horses, then they aren't ordinary men." Shojubo said, "Only a few people can afford a horse, much less take care of one. Samurai are their most common owners."

"San, can you actually hear them?" Ashitaka asked. If they were wearing armor, the metal would likely be noisy.

"They're a bit too far away for me to hear, but we can probably reach them quickly." San replied. "We can probably hide from them if you think that is wiser."

"It would be stupid to try and meet these men head-on." The woman's voice called as she appeared at the rear of the group, "Even if they don't recognize us immediately, they would likely know that there is group of people, one with a red elk, that is currently wanted."

"We need to go to sleep soon, and according to San, they're only getting closer." Toki said, "We should at least see who they are."

"If they're samurai, we'll be killed." The woman's expression remained phlegmatic.

"Then San and I will go ahead." Ashitaka announced, "Everybody else can wait behind while we see what we're dealing with."

"I suppose that can work, but we shouldn't get too far away from you two."

"San?"

"Let's go." She said with a nod.

Ashitaka and San broke away from the group, keeping a half mile between themselves and everybody else. Kohroku trembled with every step. Although he never spoke up, he would have preferred to stay away. He wasn't sure if Toki would agree with him. The woman trailing behind remained stone-faced. Both of her hands rested on her daggers' handles, prepared for a sudden attack. Her presence made Kohroku shiver, and the air around her felt frigid.

The group they were tracking finally came in sight. A dozen men atop black horses surrounded a single man riding a white stallion. An arsenal of weapons was carried by each of the dozen sentinels: a katana, washizaki, kanabo, yumi bow, and naginata was ready to be equipped. In the center of the ring of warriors was a white-haired man wearing gold and crimson robes. His long, wispy hair was fashioned into a high ponytail. He carried a single weapon on his belt, though his thin arms didn't make him appear like a warrior. When he caught glimpse of San and Ashitaka, he raised his hand to stop his men. Ashitaka and San came to a halt as well. Behind them, the woman approached with caution.

"Don't go any closer." The woman whispered to Ashitaka and San, "That is no man you want to challenge."

"Who is he?" San asked.

"It's the Emperor."

Ashitaka froze in place. His blood seemed to stop flowing as he faced the man said to be a God. He could imagine why the Emperor sought immortality; his skin was mottled and loose, and his wide grin revealed yellow teeth. An air of arrogance radiated from the Emperor. Uneasy silence followed the two groups' crossing.

"Well? Speak, young subjects." The Emperor commanded, "I can see you have something you wish to say."

Ashitaka stood in place, holding his head high as he faced the Emperor. "My name is Ashitaka. I was traveling to meet you because my homeland was destroyed."

"Your homeland? And where do you happen to be from?"

Ashitaka hesitated giving an answer. He had sworn to never reveal the location or existence of the Emishi.

"We are from a village far to the east." Jii-san announced as he appeared alongside Ashitaka, "It was deep in the mountains and rather difficult to reach."

A small light flashed in the Emperor's eyes as he glared at Jii-san. "I believe I may know the land you speak of. Yes, I recognize your face, your clothes. You weren't supposed to escape."

Jii-san's heart skipped a beat and Ashitaka's teeth grit. San's eyes narrowed at the Emperor. He reminded her of Eboshi, although his ego made Eboshi seem like a paragon of humility. She was sure he wouldn't be able to hold his own in a true fight. His lackeys flanking his every side appeared to be the only fear-inducing aspect about him.

"What did you do to them?" Ashitaka demanded, holding himself back from storming towards the Emperor.

Stifling a snicker, the Emperor replied, "Why tell you, young man, when I can show you?" He snapped his fingers and one of the men at his front rode forward. The samurai's face was entirely hidden by a large black helmet. His horse stopped three meters in front of Ashitaka as he dismounted from the saddle. Ashitaka wondered if the man was smiling behind his mask-like helm.

"A gift from your sister." The baritone-voiced samurai rumbled as he handed Ashitaka a single-edged sword. Ashitaka's eyes widened. Engraved in the handle of the sword was the word "Kaya", carved in center in the Emishi's language, one which was unknown to the rest of Japan. He stood dumbfounded at the sight. Part of the blade was broken and chipped. Only then did he notice that the samurai's armor had a few scratches on it.

"Where is she?" Ashitaka asked in a shaky voice, his eyes remaining on the sword.

"I'm not sure where she is, though I can tell you what happened to her." With lightning-quick speed, he snatched the sword out of Ashitaka's hand and pushed him away. Before Ashitaka could retaliate, the samurai threw Kaya's sword next to his horse's hoof. The half-ton beast raised one hoof at the snap of its master's fingers. In what seemed to be an instant, it bent the blade in half, nearly snapping it in two, as it shook the ground in one stomp. "Now imagine your sister's head in place of that blade."

San watched as Ashitaka's eyes grew wide. They turned glassy as he stared at the broken sword. She heard the Emperor stifle a giggle, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth. Her dagger trembled in her hand. The woman behind her shook her head in warning. None of them had a weapon strong enough to break the samurai's armor. No matter how skillful they were, they wouldn't last more than a few minutes against a single samurai.

The world around Ashitaka faded into black. His eyes couldn't turn away from Kaya's bent sword, crushed underhoof by a thousand pound beast. A horrifying image of her head being smashed replayed in his head. Nothing in his body moved; even his hands were still and untrembling. He couldn't accept that his sister was dead and that she'd died in a horrible manner. It was only when he felt San shake his shoulders did he return to reality. Tears which had welled up in his eyes began flowing down his face.

"I truly did not want to have to wipe them out, but your people should have followed their Emperor's command." The Emperor said, " Don't think I haven't heard of your deeds. You are a threat to me and I needed to know where you were going. Your people wouldn't tell me where you had gone, so I punished them for their disobedience. Besides, you being so far away from Irontown makes it easier for me to get to Eboshi. Oh, and don't think that girl who said she was your sister didn't die without reason; she dared call me a cancer that was killing this land. That girl had to learn her place. Don't be so sad, boy, I didn't slaughter all of your people; there are a few who will be serving me whether they want to or not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be heading towards Irontown. Unfortunately, I can't simply let you go. Something tells me that you too wish to challenge my power and I cannot have that."

The twelve samurai surrounding the Emperor formed a line in front of him. Ashitaka, San, the woman, and Jii-san began to back away. Toki, Kohroku, Shojubo, and Yakul stood with wide eyes, shaking as the horses began moving forward.

"My Prince, run." Jii-san whispered to Ashitaka.

"What?" Ashitaka asked in a bewildered voice.

"I said run!" The old man shouted as he drew a bow and fired at a horse. The arrow struck the ground before it, causing it to panic and buck. "Go take the others with you."

Ashitaka could tell that he had no time to thank Jii-san. He mentally swore to ensure the elder watchman's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. Everybody behind Jii-san sprinted away as the eleven samurai closed in on him. The horse's wild frenzy knocked off two others next to him, though the rest were ready to push their stallions to the limit. Nobody stopped to see if Jii-san managed to escape. If he had been killed or captured, he made no sound to indicate so. They used the terrain to their advantage, forcing the samurai to split up. Their horses wouldn't be able to dash through the trees so quickly and in such a large group.

Toki and Kohroku split away from the group as they attempted to make the samurai split into smaller bands. Ashitaka and San rode atop Yakul, going down a different direction. Shojubo and the still-unknown woman ran off in a third path. Their legs were burning but their speed didn't change. They made a full-on sprint further into the forest, not bothering to check if the samurai were gaining on them. The forest began to grow darker as the canopy thickened and the sun began to set. How much time they spent running was lost on them. Eventually, just when he thought he would collapse, his lungs ready to explode, Shojubo skidded to a halt as Ashitaka, San, and Yakul burst from a thick line of bramble. Next to him, the woman grinded to a stop.

"Are you two okay?" Ashitaka and San asked as they dismounted Yakul.

"Yes, we're fine." Shojubo replied as he steadied himself against a tree. Sweat poured down his face and body, staining his shirt. The woman managed to stay standing, though she too was glistening with sweat.

"Yakul can't run much further without a rest, so I guess we can stop here. Do you know where Toki and Kohroku are?"

"They ran to an area that was far less dense." San commented, "I wouldn't be surprised if they got captured."

"We have to go back and see if they're okay."

"There's no way we'll leave this forest alive if that happens." The woman protested, "If they're captured, there's nothing we can do to help at this moment."

"Do you think we can take out those samurai one by one?" Shojubo suggested, "We may be able to get the drop on them."

"Even if we did, we wouldn't be able to break through their armor."

"We should try to hide somewhere." San suggested.

"What if they find us?" Ashitaka asked, "Plus, we can't hide Yakul."

"We have to think of our next plan of action." The woman said, "Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere."

Ashitaka closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as he weighed their options. A conflict between honor and reason was erupting within his heart and mind. He wasn't sure if he could forgive himself if he abandoned Toki and Kohroku, especially if Jii-san sacrificed himself to save them too. Everybody had different suggestions on what to do. There was no way of telling how much time they had to think; the samurai could be right behind them for all they knew.

As Ashitaka opened his eyes, he noticed that the forest floor seemed brighter. The dark green grass was now emerald. He raised his head and recoiled. There were no trees surrounding him and no canopy overhead. Rocks were floating in the air with large trees atop, though they didn't seem to cast a shadow. Not too far away, he saw steam arise from a hot spring. Several men and women were sitting in the spring. Ashitaka recognized their faces in an instant. Although he hadn't seen them in a long time, they were members of the Emishi tribe. Behind him, he heard a sharp squeal that made him spin around. A giant gray boar was leading a sounder of smaller brown pigs, though they were larger than any he had ever seen. One of the brown boars seemed familiar, and Ashitaka immediately knew the gray boar. Lord Okkoto was leading his tribe, a group which included Nago.

"I see you have a sharp memory, boy." A familiar voice called to the west. Ashitaka turned and almost jumped back. Strolling towards him with kodama hanging on her fur was Moro, the former leader of the wolf tribe, the one who San considered her mother. She shook the kodama off of her, making them trot away.

"M-Moro." Ashitaka stammered. He thought something strange was going on the moment he opened his eyes, but now he wondered if he had fallen asleep. "Is this a dream?"

"No, this is no dream, although you are only seeing this world because of magic. This is a world different from that of the living. I'm here, many of the spirits who died in the war against the humans are here, even the Forest Spirit."

"Magic?"

"Yes, though I'm not sure who cast the spell on you."

"Is there some way for me to get out of here?"

"Simply wait for the magic to end; it isn't permanent. Besides, it will be good for you to stay here for a while. I need to tell you a few things."

"Of course." Ashitaka replied with a nod.

"First of all, I want you to ensure me that you will take care of my daughter." Moro's eyes narrowed as she added, "She is a capable warrior but doesn't need to lead that life now... and you best not do anything to hurt her."

Ashitaka was surprised by the question, but nevertheless smiled and replied, "I'll do everything I can to make her happy."

"Good, but there are more pressing matters at the moment." Moro began to circle Ashitaka, but he stood firm and listened. "The human you are fighting against is a man of great evil and power. You cannot fight him and expect to come out victorious. Leave him alone, find another path to follow. There's no point in fighting him to save your people; he has already killed them all. Look at me and those humans over there and tell me you don't realize where you are."

Ashitaka turned to face Moro. He wanted to ask her several questions, but as he turned, the world transformed back into the forest he had just left.

"Ashitaka?" San repeated for a third time. He almost jumped in surprise and sighed.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You spaced out for a minute." Shojubo answered, "We were asking you if you had any other ideas on what to do next."

Ashitaka wasn't sure what their next course of action should be. He still hadn't gotten over the shock of seeing Moro, his people, and the two boar spirits he watched die in front of him. Moro had told him that his people were wiped out. A piercing fear crept into his mind. Toki and Kohroku were still missing, and Jii-san himself had yet to show up. The fear within him slowly morphed into dread as it told him a warning: Jii-san was going to die.


	9. Chapter 9

**Once again this chapter was finished with the help of BlackSabbath4ever. This time he/she came up with the idea for the plot and helped me with it. Thank you for helping me in what is probably the third, fourth, or fifth chapter. And please reviewers read and review. **

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The four ventured further into the forest for what felt like hours. Their feet couldn't carry them any longer and their stomachs ached for food. Many times already they had glanced behind in worry of the Emperor and his personal guard, though they appeared to have given up the chase. Yakul was breathing heavy and Ashitaka didn't want to push him further. Shojubo was gasping for air and the woman they met in town had to lean against a tree to stand. San had hopped off Yakul earlier to ease his burden. She was bent over trying to catch her breath.

"We have to rest soon." Ashitaka said between breaths, "Let's rest here for a bit. One of us can remain on watch for the Emperor."

"Yes... please." Shojubo wheezed, on the verge of collapsing. His lungs felt like they could poke his ribs. The woman and San nodded.

"Alright, Yakul, let's relax for a while." Ashitaka said as he brushed Yakul's neck. The elk bowed his head and sat on the soft forest floor. Everybody followed suit and their legs gave out. Shojubo fell flat on his back, arms spread out to cushion the blow. San and Ashitaka sat with their backs against a thick tree. Their companion whose name they knew not dropped to the ground, shoulders against a tree trunk and legs fully extended.

A half hour passed before anybody moved. Shojubo managed to muster the strength sit up, stretching his neck and cracking his knuckles. Ashitaka looked half-asleep. His head rested on San's lap, who brushed his hair as though it were wolf fur. The woman was still with her head low and eyes shut.

Shojubo's body became sluggish as the adrenaline evaporated from his veins. His muscles felt like melting into water. The bones in his legs burned and ached, unable to bend or keep him standing. He couldn't keep his back straight. Unable to tell what time of day it was, he held his head in his hands and tried staying awake. When he looked back up, San was missing and Ashitaka was standing, twisting his back left and right.

"Where'd San go?" Shojubo asked.

"She felt hungry and went to go find some fruit." Ashitaka replied, "We're somewhat low on food and she doesn't feel like hunting, so she's hoping to find some berries."

"Really? She doesn't seem like the type to eat fruit."

Ashitaka cracked a smile. "She's not quite the person most make her out to be."

"So I've seen. She seems quite nice. You're both great people, honestly." Ashitaka only smiled at the compliment. "I'm a bit curious, actually; are all of your people like yourself?"

"For the most part, yes. I was largely raised by the village elders, who all worked hard to maintain our traditions. My mother died shortly after giving birth to my sister, and my father fell ill shortly after. When he passed, they made me prince and taught me everything I needed to lead. What about you? I still don't know much about your own family. You and your mother seemed a bit at odds."

Shojubo sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It's a bit tough. I love my mother and I don't want to see her as downtrodden as she's been, but she never seems to be in a good mood when by herself. My father died when I was young and I'm unsure if she ever got over his death. There were those who helped her, and even a man who I looked up to as a father, but I don't think she's ever considered remarriage. Honestly, I felt a little bad for leaving her alone. Sure, she can be a bit overbearing, but she's a great woman deep down inside."

"You helped her out as a child?"

Shojubo nodded. "There were plenty of things I wanted to do, but I couldn't let my mother do everything by herself. I wanted to help her, and I still want to find a way to make her happy again. What about you? What were your duties as a prince?"

"I never took on the full duties of a prince; the village elders considered me too young to become a complete leader. Still, I helped whoever needed help, I watched over the children of the village, and I defended the people whenever necessary. The reason I was forced to leave was because I was hurt when a demon attacked us." Ashitaka recounted his battle against Nago and his journey to Irontown. Shojubo listened with his legs crossed. He couldn't believe the strength which Nago's curse gave Ashitaka, wondering if Ashitaka could have become even stronger if the curse never diminished.

What both men believed was a growl interrupted their conversation. They turned their heads to the origin of the sound, only to see the still-unnamed woman staring at her stomach. Although her head was down, they could see it flushed red. Shojubo stifled a laugh. The woman shot a glare at him in response. Her eyes were neither narrowed nor wide, but her stare caused a chill to run up Shojubo's spine.

"Sorry." Shojubo apologized, barely hiding a smirk, "We can go looking for food if you want."

"No, I'm fine for now." The woman replied, "It's better to rest for the moment."

"I can go alone."

"Can you even stand at the moment?"

Shojubo remained silent. The tendons in his legs felt like loose string and his muscles felt weak. He felt like his legs would snap if he tried standing. "I see your point."

The woman nodded. "Thank you for the offer."

Shojubo nodded and stretched out his legs. They had gone numb several minutes earlier. He tried to rub some feeling back into them, though they felt more sore when than earlier.

"Excuse me, miss, I suppose while you're awake, I was wondering if you could finally tell us your name. It'd be a bit awkward for us to travel with you and not know your name."

The woman sat motionless for a moment; even her breathing seemed to pause. She blinked once and let out a deep breath through her nose. "My name is Ayuto. Your name is Shojubo, correct?"

"Yes... how did you know that?" Shojubo asked. He couldn't recall giving Ayuto his name.

"I heard Ashitaka call for you when those men back in town tried to kill you."

Shojubo nodded. Ayuto's stomach growled once more, though she didn't show any sign of annoyance. She leaned back her head and rubbed her left eye with one hand. Her brief nap hadn't done much other than make her more tired.


	10. Chapter 10

**BlackSabbath4Ever has helped me write so many chapters I should have him be the co-author of this story. Also, BlackSabbath4Ever is on business until somewhere in July and I need his help for a bunch of reasons so you probably have to wait one or two months for the next chapter everyone. **

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The four ended up resting longer than they anticipated. San returned with eight squirrels for dinner; they left nothing for the following day. They only realized this fact when it was too late. Ashitaka and Shojubo laughed it off, though San and Ayuto were less amused. Their full stomachs made it difficult to remain awake when combined with their exhausted bodies. Shojubo suggested resting for several minutes more, a half hour at most. By the time San awoke, the first of the four, the sun had risen and welcomed a new day. She let out a sound which was a mix of a growl and a sigh. Ayuto woke up not long after, and they awoke Ashitaka and Shojubo.

"We're lucky to not have been captured." Ayuto said.

"Yakul would have warned us." Ashitaka reassured. The elk brushed his nose against Ashitaka's hair in affirmation.

"Be that as it may, we have no way of knowing where the Emperor and his men are."

"That human was the Emperor? The gangly elder one?" San asked. She had focused more on his guard rather than the man himself. While she had time to reflect and think to herself, she couldn't imagine that _he_ was supposed to be the man others borderline worshipped. Humans were stupider than she thought.

"He's quite old at this point," Shojubo replied, "The Emperor's gone so far as to killing spirits to try and attain immortality."

San never forgot, she just couldn't believe that man was the one who demanded the Forest Spirit's head. He had no strength of his own and had to steal it from others, and even then failed that task. She wanted to break his thin neck with her own hands. Nothing would bring back the Forest Spirit or her mother, but if everything led back to that man, ending his life like he did to so many others would be well enough.

"Let's press on." Ashitaka suggested, "They may be here for all we know and we need to get going."

"What about Toki and Kohroku?" Shojubo asked, "And what happened to Jii-san?"

Ashitaka fell silent. Part of him wanted to sprint back to where he last saw either of the three. Another part screamed at him to stay away, that only death awaited him at that path. He wondered if that was his natural instinct or Moro's warning echoing in his mind.

"I'm not sure what happened to Jii-san. Perhaps he and the others were captured. If that's what happened, we need to come up with a plan to rescue them. Let's get out of this forest first."

Everybody nodded in agreement. They gathered their belongings and decided to follow San. Although it was not her home, she could tell when they were getting close to the forest's edge. The trees would be less densely spaced, the canopy would allow more light, and the various animal sounds would soften. She led them through paths which Yakul could easily navigate. Morning had turned into the afternoon by the time they were out of the woodland.

"I think there's a village nearby." Shojubo said, "Maybe there we can find something?"

"Like what?" San asked.

"I don't know, maybe where Toki, Kohroku, and Jii-san were taken? The soldiers could have stopped there."

"They'll recognize us."

"If they're there, I can figure out where they took them." Ayuto offered.

"Are you sure?" Shojubo asked.

"It will probably take a while but I can discern their location eventually."

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As Ashitaka, San, and Shojubo rested at a small inn, Ayuto wandered the streets at night. Though small, the village was quite lively both night and day. Ayuto scanned those still in the streets. Restaurants glowed yellow from lanterns within. The streets were noisy from those chatting inside. She poked her head in through the front doors, quickly glancing inside to find her marks. At a crowded bar, laughing at the top of their lungs, were two soldiers. Neither belonged to the Emperor's guard, though they were speaking of the man. A woman led Ayuto to a vacant table. It was close enough for her to hear the men, though far away enough so that they wouldn't immediately notice her.

Ayuto's senses melted and became dedicated to her hearing. Every face in the restaurant distorted and faded to black. The most important detail was where the others had been taken. Formulating a plan would come later.

"Hey, woman! Another jug over here!" One of the two men barked. The same woman who led Ayuto to her seat arrived to the samurai, a jug of sake in her hands. He snatched it from her and immediately poured a cup full.

"Go easy on that stuff or you'll regret it in the morning." His comrade remarked, though he was woozy himself, "We've gotta get going early tomorrow."

"We aren't set out to go for four more days. I'll be fine by then... I hope."

"Well, we got a this missive, meant for all samurai in the area, actually, that says otherwise. We're off to Kesshikodo, up north."

"What for?"

"Ah, prisoners of war that need guarding or something like that. We're probably just going to kill them anyways, so I don't see the point."

"As long as they give us food, right?"

Ayuto's senses came flooding back. Kesshikodo, a name she was unfamiliar with, was where Toki, Kohroku, and Jii-san would be found. She ordered a light meal from the returning waitress, using what little money she had to keep up her "innocent bystander" appearance.

A half hour passed and Ayuto finished, returning to the others at the rented out inn. The two samurai who she eavesdropped upon were still in the restaurant when she left. She found the three gathered into one large room that was to be shared by all. Ayuto relayed what information she could discover.

"We should go see we're dealing with before making a plan." Ayuto advised, "We may be charging against a fortress for all we know."

Ashitaka, San, and Shojubo nodded. They wouldn't be of any use to the others as corpses. Night had fallen and the morning was long to approach. Their bodies were no longer exhausted, though their lost energy did make them tired. Nobody had eaten a great deal; even Ayuto's meal was little more than a small rice bowl with fish sauce. San and Ashitaka rolled out a large futon, fit for two people, while Shojubo and Ayuto found two smaller ones. In less than ten minutes, Ashitaka and San fell asleep in unison.

Shojubo lay awake with his hands folded behind his head. Ayuto was several feet away, lying on her side.

"Shojubo." She asked suddenly.

"Yes?" He replied.

"What will happen if a battle occurs tomorrow?"

"Well, I'd fight."

Ayuto was silent for ten seconds before replying, "I see."

Shojubo opened his mouth to ask about her question, but he shut it at the last second. He still didn't know much about Ayuto. Judging by her skill in battle and keen mind, she likely had a good reason for asking. Maybe she would have found him a weapon to defend himself if he said no. Perhaps she was thinking of teaching him some sort of special technique. The thought soon faded away as his weariness overtook and put him to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter is a tad long. What is also long is how long it takes to make a chapter. I use to write a chapter everyday but now I've taken longer to write because I'm improving and the help I get for the chapter like to take their time. I need to write the story, edit it myself, ask a beta reader to edit it, have another author point out the mistakes, fix those mistakes, ask for more ideas and suggestions, and in the end I thank the people who help me in my author note. BlackSabbath4Ever helped me write this chapter. Please read and review. **

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Kesshikodo was a fort located by a vast clear lake. It stood forty feet high, more resembling a tower than an actual fort, casting a black shadow over the water. Ashitaka, San, Ayuto, and Shojubo managed to find the fort after asking around town if anybody knew what Kesshikodo actually was, though they didn't expect anybody would know its location. An elderly man claiming to be a former samurai told them where they could find the fort. Before they left, he warned them to stay away, as it was often guarded. The fort was built in a strategic location, atop a steep hill with only the northern side accessible by foot. They took note of his warning, though it didn't dissuade their decision. Rising in the east was the early morning sun, revealing Kesshikodo to the four wanderers.

"That's where the others are located?" Ashitaka asked Ayuto. They were hiding in a nearby grove, their presence concealed by the trees' shadows.

"It's our only lead." Ayuto replied, "If they're not there, we may be able to learn where they were taken. Nevertheless, we need to come up with a plan to get inside. Swimming is out of the question; it would be disastrous to try and sneak in while wet."

"Perhaps one of us can climb up there and find rope?" Shojubo suggested.

"Maybe, but wouldn't that require us to go in the lake?" Ashitaka questioned, "We can't just sneak up to the front and start climbing; there's nothing to hide us if we tried. There isn't a guarantee that there'll be rope, either."

"I have an idea." San said as she seemed to gaze past the fort. Everybody turned to her, intent on hearing her plan. "Perhaps you can't smell it, but there are horses nearby. If they're being held in a... what is it you humans call it?"

"A stable?"

"Yes, that; I'll be back in a minute."

"Hold on, San-" But she was already gone, having ventured further into the grove. Ashitaka started after her, though thought better of it. He was sure that San knew what she was doing. Although she could sometimes appear savage and volatile, she was far from stupid.

"Should we go after her?" Shojubo asked.

"No, let's wait for a while. If she isn't back in an hour or so..." Ashitaka's voice trailed off. He didn't want to imagine the possibility that San would fail to return, but he knew very well that he shouldn't expect things to go their way. "We can come up with something if she doesn't come back."

San circled around the grove, keeping her eyes on the tower as she crept through the trees, studying the men near the fort. She could see five, three on the right side and two on the left. They weren't wearing their armor, though their swords hung by their sides. The stable San smelled was thirty feet to the left of the fort. Inside were five horses, their reins tied around strong wooden beams. This would be great for San; she could get the samurai away from the fort while setting the horses free. Knowing her time was limited before the others would try something else, she hurried through the forest.

The edge of the grove was fifty feet from the stable; whoever designed the fort thought ahead when it came to infiltration. San couldn't see anybody looking out the wood-barred windows of the fort. She dashed to the stable. One of the soldiers began turning in her direction. Thinking quickly, she kicked her feet forward, catching herself with her torso upwards and her knees bent. Her ears were perked, listening for the sound of footsteps. None came, however, and she crawled to the side of the stable. One of the horses whinnied as San approached. Its loud bray caused San to cringe and grab her knife, ready to fight anybody the horse may have alerted.

"Shut up!" One of the samurai shouted. The horse calmed itself and San sighed silently. She peeked over the side, silently eyeing the samurai, neither having yet noticed her. San grabbed her knife and stalked to the stable, gently taking the reins. Her breath cut off when the horse snorted. A hush fell over the area, though San could still not hear any footsteps. Cutting off a sigh, she sliced through the reins holding the first horse, then the second, third, fourth, fifth. With the leather bindings cut atwain, San hurried back to the forest and grabbed a large stone. There was no guarantee her plan would work. Knowing this well enough, she placed all of her strength into her right arm and hurled the rock, launching it towards the sky. Several seconds passed before it crashed onto the roof of the stable. Inside, the horses whinnied and bucked at the sudden bash. They panicked and stumbled out of the stable. Nearby, the samurai began shouting, though their orders were ignored by the five tumultuous beasts. Their hooves carried them away from the stables, down the sloping hill and towards the forest. One of the samurai ordered his comrades to retrieve the horses. Four unarmored men hurried after their mounts while their captain looked on, his head shaking in annoyance. He made his way to the stable to investigate what drove the horses mad.

San wasted no time. She stepped toe-first as the samurai captain examined the sliced reins. Her hatred for humans, though somewhat suppressed, lingered within her mind. The captain never heard her footsteps. As much as she considered herself a wolf, her steps were as silent as those of a feline. Though she didn't know this man's name, his past, or why he became a soldier, but the murderous intent was there. He only felt the blade for an instant before it cut his spinal cord. Blood spilled from his neck, a laceration one inch away from becoming a decapitation. With her task fulfilled, San dumped the body into the lake and returned to the others.

Ashitaka's eyes widened at San's arrival. Joyful as he was that she was safe, he worried about the origin of the blood covering her arms and dress. Shojubo appeared similarly shocked. Ayuto guessed where it came from, though showed no disapproval.

"The area is clear." San informed them, "Let's hurry before they come back."

They agreed and sprinted to the fort's entrance. As they were running, Ashitaka asked San, "How many men were there?"

"Five, four of which are out in the forest."

"What about the fifth?"

"He's taking a swim."

They halted at the front, quickly surveying the area for other samurai San may have missed. Ashitaka knew that she wouldn't have overlooked anybody; if her eyes didn't spot them, she would have heard or smelled them. The door was unlocked. Ashitaka and San crept inside, their respective blades ready for a confrontation. Shojubo was about to make his way inside before Ayuto held up her hand to stop him.

"What is it?" Shojubo asked.

"I want you to remain outside." Ayuto replied, "Somebody should remain as a watch in case the other samurai return."

"Would they not remain outside at their posts? Besides, we can bar the front door."

"We should keep the door unlocked so San, Ashitaka, and I would have a quick means of escape if necessary."

"If the remaining samurai see me outside, wouldn't I have to run inside anyway?"

Ayuto ran her tongue over her teeth. Truthfully, the reason she wanted Shojubo outside was so he could avoid combat. She didn't see him as capable a warrior as she, San, and Ashitaka. The one fight in which she saw him partake ended with a single blow and his defeat. Shojubo might be able to hold his own against some, but she couldn't see him match a samurai. He didn't even carry a weapon. "I still believe it would be best if you remained outside."

Shojubo's mouth curled into a frown, though he begrudgingly nodded.

"Thank you." Ayuto said with a small bow of her head. She slipped through the front door, quietly shutting them on her way.

* * *

The fort's layout began with a spacious room on the first floor. Stairwells in each corner led to the second floor, a storage area which included the samurai's' armory. Above that was the barracks, enough to house one hundred men if need be, albeit in cramped conditions. Topping off the tower was another barracks-like room, though it was completely open and was more often used as a vantage point to oversee the surrounding area. One would need to open a window to see clearly outside. Wooden bars meant to act as protection obscured the vision of the men inside. Ayuto suggested Ashitaka and San check the first three floors while she investigated the top. They agreed to her plan and split up.

"Wait," San whispered, "There are other humans in here."

"How many?" Ayuto questioned.

"Can you tell if they're one of the people we're looking for?" Ashitaka asked.

"I'd say three men, no more than that, none of which are Toki, Kohroku, or Jii-san." San answered, "Their scent isn't too strong, so I'd guess they're on the fourth floor."

Ayuto nodded, holding her chin in one hand. Certainly, arriving to the fourth floor with Ashitaka and San would even the odds, though how much time they had was in question. "Maybe we should not separate."

"I think that would be best as well." Ashitaka said, "It can't take too long for those samurai to come back, can it?"

"If they're going to chase their horses until they're caught, it's going to take a while." San replied.

"Hold on; if you can't smell the others, wouldn't that mean they're not here?"

"How well can your sense of smell pierce through dirt?" Ayuto asked.

"Not too well." San admitted.

"Can you smell anything else besides the other humans?"

San concentrated on the air, sharpening her already fine senses. Certainly, there were more smells than those of the lingering samurai. Outside, the fresh scent of the forest trees delighted her wild side. The lake too had a scent which she could clearly detect; unfortunately, it was somewhat muddled by the dead captain's blood. However, another scent was muddled in with the pleasant smells, one which San vaguely recognized but couldn't name. "Yes, there's something else, something I can't exactly recall."

"Is it coming from below?"

San nodded.

"There's a good chance it's sake, then; it's usually kept safe in cellars and the like. If its smell is only vague to you, perhaps the others are being held underground in that cellar."

Ashitaka and San glanced at each other, impressed by Ayuto's deduction. San was sure she would have been able to smell them, though if they were far enough underground and had their scents mixed in with something more poignant, it would be too difficult for her to discern.

"So we need to find a trapdoor." Ashitaka said.

"We may also need a key if that happens." Ayuto pointed out, "Perhaps one of us should check down here for a cellar door while the other two check upstairs."

"I'll stay down here." San volunteered, "Discovering hidden entrances, such as a thin cave mouth or a crevice beneath a fallen tree, is something I've become used to in the forest. Surely I can replicate the results here."

"Alright, then; Ashitaka, you take the second floor and I'll take the third. If there really are men on the fourth floor, it would be best to avoid them."

"Understood." Ashitaka said. As Ayuto hurried up the stairs, her footsteps landing toe-first so as not to create too much noise, Ashitaka turned to San and said, "Call for us if something happens."

"I know." She replied, a small smile on her face. There was nothing on the first floor for her to fear, though Ashitaka's concern was touching.

With San's assurance, Ashitaka made his way to the second floor. The doors to the various rooms were fortunately unlocked. Inside them, he found walls of weapons, unused suits of armor laying on tables, and broken weapon parts strewn about the floor. He overturned every bit of broken steel to find a key of some sort, or perhaps a clue to their captured allies' whereabouts. No matter his efforts, he found no such object.

Ayuto's luck, or rather, misfortune, was similar. The barracks were devoid of any belongings; whoever last used the fort had made sure to take everything they had brought. Those remaining men San detected must have been permanent guards to the tower. Lining the floor were old futons which were beginning to collect dust. She covered her mouth as she rummaged through and lifted each one, searching in vain for a key.

San's luck far outweighed the combined fortune of Ashitaka and Ayuto. She noticed that one of the cushions didn't appear to have been used before. Every other cushion had a slight depression, a sign that they had been used multiple times without ever being padded out. This one gray cushion showed no signs of use. As San lifted it, she could see the tiny grooves in the floor indicating a hidden door. Just as she was about to retrieve Ashitaka and Ayuto, the front door opened. In a flash, she reached for her knife and ducked behind a wall. Her lungs released a thankful sigh when Shojubo walked through.

"We have a problem." He said as San revealed herself, "Those samurai are already back."

"What?!" San blurted out, louder than she wanted. Flinching at her foolish exclamation, she peeked out the front door, her eyes widening at the sight of four approaching warriors. None of the horses were alongside them; perhaps they gave up already.

"San, is everything alright?" Ashitaka asked as he came downstairs, "I heard you say something." Silently, San pointed to the tiny crack between the two front doors. She could hear Ashitaka curse under his breath.

"Where's Ayuto?" Shojubo asked.

"Upstairs on the third floor." Ashitaka replied, "Can you go get her?"

Shojubo nodded and made his way to the stairs, careful to make as little noise as possible. Before he could set foot onto the first step, he heard somebody outside shout, "We have a problem!"

* * *

Ayuto had also heard San's yelp, though she was crouching beside a futon when she heard it. There was only one stairwell which led to the third and fourth floor. It was located on the opposite side of the room. As much as Ayuto wanted Ashitaka to see what was wrong on his own, her intuition screamed at her to leave the area immediately. She took one step out of the room and froze. Descending the staircase as she was exiting the room in plain view were three samurai, none of which were armored, though they all carried swords. For the first time in months, a pang of fear pierced through Ayuto. When she battled warriors, the element of surprise was always on her side. No such ally was here to help her. Their eyes locked against Ayuto's, the three samurai drew their swords. Rather than a long-bladed katana, they drew washizaki swords, a shorter cousin of the katana which was often used as a sidearm in battle. Of course, a shorter blade would be a benefit when in a cramped space such as a tower's hallway.

"Not one word, little girl." The center samurai ordered in a quiet yet firm voice. His black hair was fashioned into a high ponytail. "You better stay right there if you don't want us to hurt you."

Ayuto stood paralyzed at the doorway. She could hear footsteps below her, accompanied by Ashitaka's hushed voice. The samurai were silent, listening to the voices below. Suddenly, a crash rang from downstairs, and the sound of metal against metal cried throughout the first floor.

"Deal with this woman right now! We'll help the others afterwards!" The center samurai commanded. Ayuto drew her rusted twin blades in a panic, parrying and deflecting the two samurai's strikes. What she assumed was the head of the fort slowly approached, his pace not even a third of the charge from his underlings. They backed her into the room, though its more open space served to her advantage. She kicked off the wall behind her, concentrating all her power into her legs, and managed to roll between the two samurai. Her following attack downed one of them, cutting him from shoulder blade to waist, though the remaining man was faster. HIs strikes came down like a hailstorm. A dance between Ayuto's daggers and the samurai's washizaki began. It was a noisy, fast-paced dance which created sparks during its most impactful moments. This whirlwind of blades was enough for Ayuto to be distracted from the third man. Unlike his comrades, this man carried two swords. As Ayuto crossed her knives to block a downward strike, her eyes widened as a sharp pain erupted in her tricep muscles. Blood leaked onto the washizaki blades. Both daggers in Ayuto's hands dropped to the ground as she choked back a wail of agony. With the girl's arms now useless, the samurai behind Ayuto locked his arms under hers, intertwining his fingers behind her neck. Below them, the battle was continuing, though Ayuto couldn't tell if the screams were coming from Ashitaka, San, the samurai, or her mind. Before her was the man she had been fighting, a smug smirk on his face as he stood in the room beside his dead comrade. Behind her in the hall was the man that pierced her arms. Silently, she hoped that the damage wasn't permanent.

"That scuffle below should clear up soon, I'd imagine." The man behind her whispered into her ear. "I don't know who you are, what is happening, or why you're here, but I'm going to get the answers out of you one way or another." He turned to the other samurai and said, "Left eye."

Without a moment of hesitation, the samurai in front of Ayuto smashed her left eye with one solid punch, creating a smacking sound and drawing blood above her eyebrow. Her orbital bone didn't feel broken, though she didn't think the pain would be gone in a day or two.

"Who are you?" The man behind her asked. Ayuto remained silent, glaring at the man before her in defiance. "Center chest."

Another blow caused Ayuto's body to recoil, this time a crushing punch which knocked the air out of her lungs.

"It isn't polite to remain silent." The man in front of her ask, "And please refrain from spitting if you're considering it. Saliva won't be the only thing flying from your mouth if you try that." Ayuto remained silent. Even if she tried to kick, the samurai in front of her had the tip of his washizaki pointed downwards, ready to slice her legs if necessary.

"How about this: why are you here?" The man behind her asked. Still, Ayuto was silent Below them, the struggle continued to rage. "We're running out of time; throat."

A jab from the man's fingertips crushed Ayuto's windpipe, causing her to gasp and sputter. Red welts appeared where the jab landed. Nevertheless, Ayuto grit her teeth and continued to scowl at her torturer.

"Last chance: what did you come here for?" The man behind her whispered. Ayuto still gave no answer. Behind her, the samurai shook his head. "We can ask one of the others, if they're hopefully captured. Kill this woman."

The samurai turned his blade so that the razor-sharp edge was between Ayuto's legs. Her eyes widened further in terror as she realized how she would die. In one second, the washizaki was cut her from her groin to her ribcage, possibly up to her throat if enough effort was put into the slash. She couldn't accept this fate, but her legs refused to move. A sadistic smile appeared on the samurai's face as his arm twitched.

Blood splattered all over the wall, dyeing the samurai's face red. Ayuto fell with a sharp gasp, slipping backwards as the arms restraining her were released. She couldn't believe the sight. The man behind her no longer had what somebody could call a head. His skull was crushed like a sugar cube beneath a hammer's blow, revealing his red flesh, white bone, and brain matter. In front of her, the man who should have been her killer was dumbfounded with shock. Holding a kanabo which pulverized his ally's skull was a young man he had never seen. Shojubo's face was painted crimson by the captor's blood. He was quick to regain his composure, holding the kanabo to the final samurai.

The kanabo: a long wooden club covered in metal studs. It was a demonic weapon which were said to be carried by the oni. Some variants had metal sheets wrapped around it to increase its power, though this version was the more traditional version of wood and metal studs only. Though heavy, Shojubo could hold it well in his hands. Years of hard work made his body strong. What he lacked in experience and grace, he made up for with endurance and power.

The final battle of the day did not last long. With his blade still angled to slice Ayuto in two, the samurai had to quickly get into a combative stance and prepare to dodge a blow. He tried both at once and paid the price. As he raised his arms, he tried to jump backwards, creating a small opening, though not so small that Shojubo didn't notice. Shojubo swung the kanabo upwards, like an uppercut from an unarmed fighter, breaking the samurai's jaw and causing teeth to fly around the room. His haggard breaths and screams rang throughout the fort. Though he was not yet dead, his consciousness was quick to fade.

"Ayuto!" Shojubo called as he dropped the heavy club, "How badly are you hurt?"

"Not very." She replied. Though it hurt to move her arms, none of her muscles appeared to have been badly cut. Her eyes turned from the samurai which Shojubo killed to Shojubo himself. The area was a bloody mess, with flesh and bone plastered to the wall. Below them, the sounds of battle had ceased, and Ayuto could hear San saying something, though the words were unclear. "Let's go to the others." Ayuto said as she forced herself to her feet.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Shojubo asked. Ayuto was silent as she nodded. Though thankful for Shojubo's help, she scorned herself for getting captured.


	12. Chapter 12

**This chapter took a long time to write, but I'm glad it was finished with the help of BlackSabbath4Ever. Can I ask you people if you will review what you like about the story and what you didn't like about this story. That is all and have a good day. **

XXX

The tower's guards lay dead on two different floors. Ashitaka and San managed to defeat the unarmored samurai by singling out and double-teaming them one at a time. San had a small cut on her ear, the result of a wild katana swing, though they were otherwise uninjured. Ayuto's arms stung when she tried lifting them. Shojubo found a box of medical supplies: bandages, salves, a green powder, and a needle and thread. He helped treat the stab wounds on Ayuto's arms. Her eye twitched once when the salve was first applied, though after its initial bite, she felt her muscles relax.

"Thank you for your help." Ayuto said as Shojubo wrapped bandages around the bloody gash. She felt she should have thanked him earlier, immediately after he saved her, but she had forgotten the thought as she reflected upon how she was briefly captured.

"I'm just happy I managed to get here in time." He remarked before tearing off another strip of bandages, "What happened, anyway?"

"I was careless and forgot about one of the men, the one who was holding me from behind. He wasn't wielding his swords when I saw him and I must have neglected him as a threat." Her deep brown eyes stared at the bloody walls and floor. She imagined what would have happened if Shojubo hadn't arrived. The blood which stained the tower likely would have been her own. As she was staring at the gory mess, Ashitaka and San returned from their search. They found the cellar door and keys. Inside was nothing more than a few sake crates and old saddles. San was able to smell Kohroku and Toki's scent more clearly when in the cellar, and she guessed they were moved only recently. As they were returning to Ayuto and Shojubo, they searched the floors for anything they may have missed. On the fourth floor was a ledger detailing where the samurai came from and were destined.

"We can probably catch up if we move quickly." San suggested, "Their smell wouldn't have lingered for that long."

"I think we should let Ayuto rest first." Ashitaka said.

"No, I'm fine with leaving now." Ayuto said as she rubbed the bandages, "If they aren't too far away, we might be able to sneak them out at night."

"These bandages won't stay on if you start fighting now, you know." Shojubo noted, "The salve is still somewhat wet; you shouldn't try swinging your arms or anything like that for a while."

"You're knowledgeable on medicine?"

"No, it's just common sense. The salve was sticky when I put it on your arm, but it isn't some sort of unbreakable solvent."

Ayuto stared blankly with narrow eyes. She did admit her arms were in pain, and trying to swing a blade would probably make them hurt more than she imagined. "Either way, we shouldn't waste time. The bandages should hold as long as I don't fight, correct?"

"That's right." Shojubo replied.

"Then let's try and at least catch up with them." Undeterred by Shojubo's warnings, Ayuto made her way to the first floor, her steps unhindered by her aching arms. Shojubo wanted to stop her, but Ashitaka rested a hand on his shoulder. He already guessed that Ayuto was tough. She managed to survive on her own for several years while fighting samurai. There wasn't any reason for him to worry.

"If we find the samurai, you, San, and I can do the fighting if Ayuto isn't up for it." Ashitaka said, "We may even be able to get the Toki and Kohroku away without a fight."

Shojubo considered the option and nodded. He didn't want to see Ayuto's wounds to worsen or cause her trouble if she was in a fight. Seeing her about to die by the samurai's hands created power in him he never knew he contained. It gave him the strength to swing the heavy kanabo, the mindset to kill a man he didn't know without feeling a shred of remorse, even after the violent deed had been done. The thought clouded his thoughts as he followed Ashitaka and San out of the tower.

"What we could try is to reach their destination before they get there." San suggested as the four hurried on the road, "I'm pretty sure we'll have to cut through the mountains if we do that, though."

"They're going somewhere that's no less than fifty miles away." Shojubo pointed out, "We'll have to move quickly if we want to beat them there."

"There isn't going to be much of a chance if they're using horses." Ayuto said, "Even if they're being used to pull a cart, they'll still move faster than us."

"The shortcut doesn't like too bad of an idea." Ashitaka remarked, "We might be able to cut them off at the road."

"It would still be difficult to fight them if they're armored. If we are going to attack, we should do so while they are asleep."

"Couldn't we just sneak Toki and Kohroku out of their camp while the samurai sleep?" Shojubo asked.

"Yes, that's a possibility, but it would also be a good idea to make sure nobody could follow us."

Ashitaka and Shojubo shot each other a glance. While they agreed that most samurai they met were rather deplorable, they weren't sure if killing them while they slept was something with which they could agree. They didn't think every samurai in Japan was a horrible person. Each one likely had a family, and how much that family relied on the samurai was unknown to Ashitaka and Shojubo, but they were sure not each clan was wealthy.

"Ayuto, we don't necessarily need to kill them unless they try to stop us." Shojubo said, "I think it's enough if we can get Toki and Kohroku away."

Ayuto's walk slowed. San glanced behind her, having thought Ayuto came to a halt, though she only lagged behind to speak with Ayuto.

"If they discover it was us who stole away Kohroku and Toki, they will hunt us down." Ayuto warned, turning to Shojubo for the first time since they left the tower.

"This is probably something we should worry about until we find them." San interjected. Ayuto stared calmly for a moment before nodding. It wasn't a matter which needed to be debated at the moment, and they could get a better idea of their foes if they could see how many there were, how well they were armed, and what manner of travel they were utilizing. Shojubo wondered what San thought of the idea. She lived fighting humans for many years, developing a strong hatred which still drifted within her psyche. He knew that Ashitaka shared a similar opinion to him.

Dusk was beginning to set, painting the distant sky orange and tinting the white clouds a vibrant pink. The mountains guarding the horizon cast towering shadows over the land. Ashitaka, San, Shojubo, and Ayuto were starting to enter a more rugged terrain. What was once a few hills transformed into a land of steep slopes and sheer drops. Though San grew in a mountainous environment, it was nowhere as difficult to navigate as the current area. She and the others were contemplating a rest. Before she could suggest finding a cave for the night, a familiar, albeit weak, met her.

"That's Toki." She suddenly blurted as they were walking.

"What was that, San?" Ashitaka asked.

"Toki, Kohroku, I can smell them. They must be close by."

The other three stopped moving immediately. "Can you tell which direction the scent is coming from?"

"Yes; follow me." San hurried past the three. They matched her pace, starting at a brisk walk which evolved into a test of endurance as they ran. Ashitaka didn't feel any strain as he rode Yakul, though Shojubo, who wasn't accustomed to long-distance running, and Ayuto, whose endurance didn't match her agility, felt their legs ache after a half hour of near-sprinting. Their hastened speed paid off. Leading the pack, San's accuracy improved as the scent grew. After almost an hour of running, the dusk now night, they came across a small platoon.

They were on a road running alongside the mountain. San counted eight soldiers, one ox driver who controlled the cart, one actual samurai who was covered in steel, five men in ragged clothes, their hands bound, and two women, also haggardly dressed, also bound at the wrists. Kohroku was one of the men, and his wife, Toki, sat beside the other woman. The non-samurai warriors carried shabby looking spears and had no actual armor. As she studied the people, she noticed that the cart carrying the prisoners had a broken wheel. There was an argument ongoing between the soldiers and the lone samurai, though she couldn't hear everything they said. She heard one mention a third wheel breaking that day.

"What do you think we should do?" San asked, "Perhaps we attack them at night?"

"That seems like a good idea." Ashitaka replied, "I think it would be best if we avoided a

fight, though; I don't want to get Toki or Kohroku hurt by accident."

"Where's Jii-san?" Shojubo asked.

The air hung silent as Ashitaka and San scanned the prisoners. San hadn't noticed him when she first looked, and she wouldn't allow herself to miss such an important detail. Ashitaka's face lowered when he couldn't find him. A comforting hand from San rested on his shoulder. Shojubo nodded, his mind jumping to the worst conclusion.

"We can't lose anybody else." Shojubo said, "Let's sneak them out while under the cover

night, maybe even release those others while we're at it."

"First off, we don't know that they're all innocent." Ayuto pointed out, "Despicable as the samurai are, and dishonorable as common soldiers are, they probably caught most of those people during a battle. Toki and Kohroku are the only ones who we know are there without good reason."

"What about the other woman?"

"Samurai's wives learn how to fight with naginatas, so perhaps she was captured during a

raid."

"Then she's done nothing wrong?"

Ayuto was silent and unmoving, not even a shrug of her shoulders. "We still don't know about the others, though."

"I don't think they'll be going back to fighting if we let them go."

"You never know." Ayuto muttered as she gazed over the hill's crest, examining the

prisoners.

"We'll let them go." Ashitaka said.

"Very well, but I believe we should get rid of the samurai and soldiers."

"Why is that?" Shojubo asked.

"We don't want them following us if we get caught." Ayuto explained, "Besides, if we eliminate them before freeing those captured people, there will be no chance of us being seen or heard."

"She has a point." San agreed.

"I'm a bit unsure." Ashitaka said, "We don't know anything about them. They may not have even captured these men and were just in charge of escorting them."

"What do you think will happen to those prisoners?" Ayuto asked, "No matter the conditions, those men are still obeying what may be an order to send those people to death."

"They may not have a choice." Shojubo said.

"If we're going to get Toki and Kohroku out of there with as little trouble as possible, we may as well leave the soldiers alone." Ashitaka said, "We can take out anybody who may be up, watching them."

"I think that sounds like a good plan." San remarked. Shojubo nodded in agreement. Ayuto was motionless for several seconds before slowly nodding her head once. She stared down the hill, her eyes mostly fixated on the samurai. Her fists tightened when she saw his steel-plated armor, a fortress with few weaknesses she could exploit. Fortunately, the neck was always unprotected, with only leather padding to protect his windpipe, jugular vein, and carotid artery. One cut on one of those body parts was all she needed. Two blades, rusted and jagged, were prepared to taste blood once more. Soon, the sun would set, and the four would move out. A pair of hateful eyes glared at the samurai before Ayuto shuffled away with the other three. They retreated to a nearby forest to await night's shroud.

Stars filled the sky and the moon glowed white as night fell. Ashitaka was counting his arrows; seven remained ready for use, and making more would take several days. Finding stones sharp enough to pierce flesh was difficult enough, but crafting them into proper arrows would be another task itself. San's knife was strapped through her thigh with a piece of leather rope she stole from the tower. It helped her carry her spear without worrying about her dagger. Shojubo still carried the kanabo, though he found it harder to swing than before. The adrenaline which gave him strength was long gone. His arms struggled to lift the club above his head. Ayuto sharpened her daggers with a grey stone, creating sparks as they were dragged across the iron. She examined the chipped edges. A frown appeared on her face as she watched their effectiveness flake away with every slash.

The four trudged down the hill, keeping their eyes on the makeshift camp which the soldiers set up. San led the group. Her eyes were the best adapted to darkness, and even during the day, they were the keenest of the bunch. She could see that only the samurai was awake. His arms were crossed and his back stood straight. A full-face helmet covered his eyes, making it impossible for San to see his face. He carried a yumi bow, taller than himself, and possibly taller than San if she sat on Ashitaka's shoulders. Hanging at his side was a katana sheathed in its black-painted scabbard. Ashitaka, San, Ayuto, and Shojubo hid behind several bushes near the side of the road.

"Do you think your bow can drop him from here?" Shojubo asked Ashitaka.

"Possibly, but the target size is very small." Ashitaka replied as he studied the tall, armored warrior, "That helmet he's wearing covers his neck more than other samurai headgear."

"Take aim and wait for me to get behind him." Ayuto said, "If you miss, I can eliminate him from behind."

"Just a thought, and I don't think it will happen, but what if Ashitaka misses and accidentally strikes you?" Shojubo asked.

"He won't miss." Ayuto replied.

"It's just hypothetical."

"Ayuto, if you're sure that I won't hit you, then go ahead and get behind him." Ashitaka interrupted, "I'll do my best to hit him, but if I don't..." He was reluctant to finish with, "cut the samurai's throat", but Ayuto knew what he was going to say. She disappeared from view for several minutes. The fire in the soldiers' camp revealed her position behind the samurai, her daggers prepared in case Ashitaka's aim should fail.

Ashitaka let his arrow fly. Its destination was the samurai's throat, one of the few parts of his body not protected by metal plates. Blood squirted from the man's throat. An inaudible scream left through his windpipe as he crumpled to the dirt road. None of the sleeping soldiers heard his heavy thud, though several prisoners who were still awake gasped. San hurried to the camp and held a finger to her nose, signaling them to be silent. Before joining her, Ashitaka bowed his head, pitying the samurai's death. Shojubo came along and helped untie the prisoners. Toki and Kohroku both embraced Ashitaka, the former tighter than her husband. A death glare was shot by San when she saw Toki's constricting hug. While their saviors celebrated, the other prisoners hurried away, tip-toeing away before breaking into a sprint.

'Let's go.' San mouthed to Ashitaka, who nodded in response. Shojubo prepared to follow, slinging his kanabo over his shoulders, though he paused when he glanced at Ayuto. She was standing near one of the soldiers, her daggers gripped as she stared down at him. Ayuto slowly crouched down and raised one hand. Before it could be brought down, Shojubo grabbed her wrist. He restrained her with both hands while she tried to pull away.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"There's no reason to do this." Shojubo whispered back, "We have to go, now."

"I'll meet you in one minute; we can't let them come after us."

"They won't even know we were here!"

"I can't take that chance." Ayuto's scowl wavered for one brief moment, a minor falter which cracked her stony demeanor, "You don't know what they may do next."

"What are you talking about?"

Ayuto was silent as her mind wandered to her burning home. The ashes of the village raised high in the wind, drifting towards the distant mountains. She knew who caused the destruction, yet she didn't know why. Was there even a reason to the annihilation? Her vow on that day was to never allow such a thing to happen again. During her travels, she was unable to uphold her promise. Villages were destroyed before she could arrive and help. These failures made her realize what she needed to do: eliminate the cause before it could create the effect. Killing these soldiers could save a dozen people, if not more, perhaps even one hundred.

"Let me go." Ayuto warned.

Shojubo only shook his head. Ayuto wasn't sure if it was simply rejection or also a show of disappointment. She glared at him, her eyes scorching him with fire, as she sheathed her other dagger. The grip on her right wrist was released. Her second dagger was sheathed, assuring Shojubo that she wouldn't kill one of these defenseless men. He was shoved aside as she trudged past, following Ashitaka and San into the night.


	13. Chapter 13

**I would like to thank BlackSabbath4Ever for helping me with this chapter. I would also like to thank the readers for the reviews of my latest chapters. Now this chapter is going to be a setup for a monster in the story. It wouldn't be a Princess Mononoke story without some kind of monster. **

XXX

Toki and Kohroku quickly fell asleep when they were brought back to the camp. Ashitaka asked them if they needed anything, but they shook their heads silently and went to bed. Shojubo curled up under a tree and closed his eyes. He didn't immediately fall asleep; he wondered where Ayuto was, as she had not yet returned. San and Ashitaka lay in each others' arms. The weight of San's body atop Ashitaka's torso didn't bother him. It was a feeling he had become accustomed to, her light, lithe body embracing his own while they slept, her breath flowing over his chest.

Ayuto returned half an hour after all but Shojubo fell asleep. His left eye was half open, kept on watch to see if she would return, something he didn't believe would happen until she arrived. Her blades were sheathed and she had no signs of blood. He wasn't sure what she was doing, and he didn't care, quite frankly. She could have gone off on her own for all he cared. Even now, he wasn't entirely sure why she was coming along with them. Was her goal to kill the emperor? That was a task he couldn't see happening from a trained killer, much less some village girl who came across two old, shoddy daggers.

Shojubo's guess wasn't far off. Ayuto started after the group, but she broke away, as usual, after only a few minutes. She considered leaving them and heading off by herself. Although she didn't know exactly where to go, she was sure she could think of a few places. The capital was a sure destination. Her face and name were still unknown to the samurai and daimyo, so arriving there shouldn't be a problem. Still, it was perhaps a thousand miles away, and she was still tenuous on facing a samurai again after her brush with death. Eliminating one before being seen was no problem. Never had she fought on in what some would call a fair fight. They were trained killers; she was a peasant girl who studied how they fought and picked up on their techniques. Training was rare for her. It was time consuming and tiring, and she needed both time and energy if she was to reach the capital city.

"There isn't much of a reason to go there right now." She muttered to herself, "The emperor isn't even in his palace." He was too busy being escorted around Japan, continuing his futile search for the ever-distant dream of immortality, while he rooted out his enemies. "I wonder if the shogun even knows what the emperor is up to."

Ayuto finally returned to the camp when she saw everybody sleeping; at least, that's what it appeared to be. She didn't notice Shojubo's half-open eye, the shadow of his bangs hiding most of his face. The kanabo he found in the tower lay at his feet. A scowl was fixated on his face even as he "slept". Though she was angry that he stopped her from executing the soldiers, seeing his bitter frown made her own disparaging glare soften. His breathing was quiet and slow. Everybody else was lost in their peaceful sleep, something which eluded Ayuto as she lay flat on the ground, her body outstretched and hands behind her head.

Hanging high were countless stars peering down on the forest. Flickers of red and orange came from the dying embers of the group's campfire, which had burned away an hour ago. Bushes and twigs rustled in the forest as nocturnal beasts exited their burrows and homes. Ayuto's eyes wandered from the stars to the trees. Something was keeping her awake, something which kept her mind spinning and her body restless. Her tricep muscles still ached, but their pain wasn't what kept her up. She was worried and didn't know why. Was it a premonition? No, it couldn't be; she didn't believe in such foolish notions. Tomorrow, they would set out towards the capital. The worst thing they could encounter were samurai. Although she knew of the nature spirits which San sometimes mentioned, she didn't believe they would encounter any, that they were extinct beyond San's two wolf brothers. With these self-comforting thoughts, Ayuto closed her eyes, awaiting a slumber which would not end up restful.

Ashitaka was happy to see that Ayuto had returned, and he asked her where she was last night. She said she hadn't been feeling well and stayed behind for a bit. He accepted her answer, though her lie was transparent like a clean lake during spring. There wasn't much reason for him to pursue her real answer. Ayuto didn't seem like she would give a truthful response, at least not yet, so he smiled and nodded. His smile was quickly gone when he realized they were out of food once again.

"I'm running low an arrows, and I don't think San's spear is good for throwing." Ashitaka said, "Hunting is probably out of the question."

"There may be a village nearby." Kohroku suggested, "The area looks less mountainous beyond here, so there could at least be a farm."

Ayuto nodded, "A daimyo wouldn't let any useful bit of land go to waste.

"We don't have any money, you dolt." Toki interjected. She was quick to return to her usual self once she and her husband were rescued.

"Uh, this is money, right?" San asked as she retrieved twenty coins from Yakul's supply bag, "You people keep mentioning it, so I assumed it was useful. These came from the tower."

"You found all those and didn't tell us?" Toki questioned, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"I didn't know what to do with it." San hissed back, "Why do you humans clamor over these useless metal circles?"

"They're used to purchase things." Ashitaka explained before Toki could blow up at San, "Basically, they are exchanged for things like food or clothing."

"Okay, but why use these?"

"I'm not sure San. The Emishi didn't really use money, I only know of the concept."

"That all doesn't matter right now." Toki interjected, "We have enough to help us get through the rest of this trip, there's hopefully a town nearby... let's get going."

Everybody agreed and pressed on north. The slopes of the mountains were gentler as they pressed on, and they soon found themselves looking up at the peaks they had just left. Early morning brightened to high noon when they finally halted their trek. Sitting in the distance was a village surrounded by farmland, the grass and crops kept fresh by a river which carved through the soft earth. A relieved smile appeared on Toki and Kohroku's lips. Ashitaka led them to the village. They walked down a steep hill which all but San imagined would be a pain to climb. Shojubo seemed the only one aware of the stares they drew, most likely due to Ashitaka's outfit and red elk, San's savage hair and face, and Ayuto's striking beauty; the weapons in the group's arsenal didn't help divert attention. He, Kohroku, and Toki were the half of the group which the villagers would call normal, though the kanabo which Shojubo was nearly dragging made some question his past.

San handed Toki the coins she found. Toki and Kohroku went off to purchase food while the others sat around. Shojubo kept himself away from Ayuto. She noticed his behavior but didn't care. Neither Ashitaka and San noticed, as they were busy discussing whether or not traveling off the road would be a good idea. Ashitaka thought it was best if they remained on the road. That way, they would not get lost, and reaching the capital would be easier. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, San argued that they could get there faster if they cut through the forest.

"Excuse me." A shy voice called. The four looked up and saw a thin, brown-haired woman with a clean, simple beige cloth dress standing four meters away from them. She looked nervous yet wore a smile.

"Yes, ma'am?" Ashitaka asked, mirroring her grin.

"I'm not sure if I should ask this, but... are you four warriors?"

"Yes." San replied.

"I'd say so." Shojubo answered at the same time.

"Um, how long are you staying here in the village?" The woman questioned, her fingers intertwined.

"We're passing through to purchase food." Ayuto said, "Once our compatriots come back, we will likely head off."

"Oh, I see. Well, thank you for your time." The woman began to walk away, though Ashitaka called her back.

"Is there something wrong, miss?" He asked.

"You four aren't staying for long. I don't want to prolong your travels."

"We have some time." Shojubo said, "If there's some sort of problem, we might be able to do something about it."

The woman glanced down at the ground. Dirt covered her sandals and exposed toes, making them feel dry. "Have you ever heard of spirits?"

San's ears perked up. At the same time, Ashitaka looked towards her, the familiar word bringing up memories of the Forest Spirit, Nago, Lord Okotto, Moro, the kodama, and the horrifying war which annihilated Irontown and the forest. Ayuto and Shojubo were aware of the two's past, which they sometimes spoke while they walked, though didn't know the extent of their association with spirits and demons.

"My friend and I have met several." Ashitaka replied as he gestured towards San.

"What about demons?" The woman asked.

"Unfortunately, we've met those, too." San answered bitterly.

"Then, may I ask a favor of you?"

"What would that be?" Ashitaka inquired. The woman seemed hesitant to answer, though she worked up the courage to speak.

"Did you see the river which passes through the village? It used to be home to a spirit, one which used to help us. The spirit looked like a dragon, the ones you hear about in old legends and stories. Several weeks ago, something happened to it, we're not sure what, but when we saw it again, it had changed. This spirit used to be white with green frills. Last we saw it, it turned red, and those frills were purple. Some of the farmers said that it killed their livestock and crops. We're afraid that it might do something worse. Even though we sent a call for help, the emperor and none of the daimyos have answered it yet."

Ashitaka listened intently, his eyes not blinking nor his head nodding. "We can try doing something about it."

"We would need to ask Toki and Kohroku, probably." Shojubo said.

"Then we'll ask them when we get back. If they're fine with it, we can ask others around and see what we are up against."

All but Ayuto nodded, though they didn't suspect anything odd about it. She didn't need to nod to agree with them. Still, she really wasn't too keen on remaining in this village for long. Every passing day they remained in one place made it easier for the emperor to find them. What lies he could spread concerning them were limitless. They wouldn't have any hope if his falsehoods reached the shogun, the only man whose power matched that of the emperor. Ayuto remained silent, at least for now. Time wasn't on their side. Though she didn't want the villagers to suffer, her heart's cry for her own personal vendetta was stronger than its plea to help the people. Her left index finger traced her left dagger's pommel.


	14. Chapter 14

**Picture this: the next chapter being finished faster than this chapter. Will all of you be happy about that. I hope so. This story of course was written with the help of BlackSabbath4Ever. Please read and review. **

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The six awoke before sunrise, having slept in a campsite just outside the village. Shojubo was the first up. He couldn't find restful sleep, and his slumber was interrupted by his tossing and turning beneath his thin woolen blanket. Rushing water was the only sound in the morning dawn. It filled Shojubo's ears as he studied the fast-flowing river.

_A demon lives in there_, Shojubo thought to himself, astounded that a clear, beautiful river could house a horrific monster. He strolled to the river, kanabo in hand just in case, and stared at the water. His eyes watched for any signs of movement. It was difficult to tell whether or not something was moving, as the river's current distorted the riverbed. The surface was red and orange, reflecting the distant colors of the glowing sky. Scarce a fish or tadpole revealed itself. Nothing about the river seemed unordinary.

Shojubo returned to camp. Mud coated the bottom of his shoes, though he didn't try washing them. It would only result in his feet getting muddy when coming back from the river, and he was sure that walking with mud-caked feet inside his shoes would do more than sully his footwear. He packed up his blanket and left his shoes and metal-studded club by his knapsack. Barefooted, he went into the village to see if there was any talk of the demon. Few were in the streets; most were farmers who were preparing to work the fields. None were talking much.

When he returned to camp, the sky's color shifted to dark blue. Ayuto was up and stretching out her arms and legs. Shojubo passed by her, not offering so much as a wave, and picked up his club. He walked towards the river. There wasn't much for him to do until Ashitaka and San awoke, and from that point, they would search for this supposed river demon.

As Shojubo peered into the water, he saw the black sand of the riverbed. Something seemed wrong. Though it was difficult to see in the early morning, he couldn't imagine that the sand in a river would be black. He backed away, and as his foot touched the ground, a geyser shot out of the water. The cloak of water obscuring the beast fell away. Standing twenty feet out of the water, with more than half its body still underwater, was a black serpentine beast. Its eyes glowed crimson, and its black scales were tinted violet. Teal frills on its back contrasted the rest of its dark body. Thick, dark purple sludge leaked from its mouth and scales.

Shojubo could only stare in awe at the monstrosity. His hands gripped the kanabo tightly, though the rest of his body refused to move. He gazed into its eyes, mouth agape as it glared back. The demon's jaw lowered. Sludge splattered into the water and onto the shore. Something rang in Shojubo's ears. Whatever it was refused to register in his mind properly. One sense worked properly: his sight. More ringing assailed his ears. That didn't matter to him. A floating feeling came over him.

The floating feeling ended when he felt something smash into his ribs, sending him onto the ground. He coughed as one hundred pounds of weight crushed his lungs. A long shadow flew over him as Ayuto pressed him into the ground, keeping her own body low as the river demon surged overhead.

"You idiot!" Ayuto shouted, "Why didn't you get out of the way? Did you even hear me shouting?"

"Huh, what? Ayuto?" Shojubo groaned groggily.

"Get up!" She roared as she pulled him to his feet. Shojubo stumbled to his feet and held up his kanabo, this time with a clear mind and a freely moving body. The serpentine spirit reared its head and charged once again. Its path was a straight line, flying faster than an arrow riding the wind. Ayuto and Shojubo dodged in opposite directions. Both ran as the dragon surged back into the river.

"Ayuto! Shojubo!" Ashitaka called as he and San scrambled for their weapons. "Don't let that thing touch you! It will curse you if it does!" As he notched an arrow, he ordered Yakul to flee to the village. Yakul nodded and hurried away.

Just as Ashitaka finished his warning, a roar erupted from the waters. The dragon arose once again and glared at those gathered below. An arrow was released from Ashitaka's bow, sticking into the writhing flesh of the demon. It showed no sign of pain as the arrow pierced its body. Another roar shook the ground. People in the nearby village ran back to their homes when they saw the black dragon. Ashitaka didn't any screams, only surprised gasps and slamming doors.

"San, what should we do?" Ashitaka asked as he turned to face her. When he glanced to where she was last standing, just behind him with her spear in hand, he found she wasn't there.

"Ashitaka!" San called from towards the river. Ashitaka shot a look to her direction and saw her running on the side of the river. Her spear was in hand and batting away the dripping sludge, occasionally plunged into the river to wash off the purple gunk. The dragon took notice and roared, plunging itself into the water and swimming alongside her. It tried ramming into her. She dodged out of the way, kicking off the ground and backflipping onto her feet. Once she was on her feet, Ashitaka fired twice more at the dragon, aiming for its eyes. One arrow missed its target by an inch, striking a teal frill instead, while the second pierced the dragon's upper lip. Both strikes did little to halt the beast.

San began shouting curses at the demon, prodding at it with her spear as she taunted it. The demon bellowed and rose from the water. Its body stood now thirty feet in the air, prepared to crush San like an ant. Shojubo rushed over to help her, but San demanded they stay back.

Sludge flew in the air as the demon brought its open maw down. San timed the attack, just as she would time her own attacks when she pounced on prey. To Shojubo, Ashitaka, and Ayuto, the demon was going to crush her in three seconds. For San, the movement was slow. She effortlessly jumped out of the way and began sprinting away from the river.

"Get away from the water!" She ordered the others. "Keep running until it stops!"

The others obeyed and hurried away from the water. With a earth-trembling shriek, the demon chased them, focusing on San. Ashitaka did what he could to help. He fired arrows which had little effect.

"Stop wasting your arrows!" Ayuto shouted as she saw the projectiles get stuck in the beast. As she spoke, the demon suddenly changed directions. Its body jerked to the left, towards where Ayuto and Shojubo were running. Her eyes moved from Ashitaka to San, only to grow wide when she saw the impending monster.

"Ayuto!" Shojubo called out. She didn't hear him. Her steps became clumsy as she considered either dodging or continuing her sprint. It wasn't a decision made fast enough. By the time she decided to jump out of the way, the dragon's jaw was wide open, prepared to crush her in its teeth.

Something grabbed her from behind. A pair of hands interlocked around her navel, and she felt herself being lifted into the air. Before she knew what was happening, she felt her shoulders hit the ground, followed by her rolling backwards onto her neck.

"Get up!" Shojubo roared, a booming voice which almost matched the dragon's. Ayuto felt somebody grab her wrist. She was forced to her feet and began running. Her body was operating automatically. The steps she took were sluggish, and the path she ran wasn't straight. Nothing but the hope of escaping the monster behind her filled her mind.

Suddenly, the monster came to a screeching halt. The dirt around its snake-like body kicked into the air. Ayuto turned to see what happened. Ashitaka, San, and Shojubo also spun around to see why the monster had stopped. Most of its one-hundred foot long body was out of the river, save for a few inches which remained submerged. Its prey slowly backed away. Their eyes never left the demon. Slowly, it slithered back to the river, emitting a low growl as its eyes moved from each of its targets. None were sure how long it took the dragon to return to the river. Though it was only several seconds, it felt like hours. Bubbles rose from where the head submerged, popping as black sludge rose from the water.

Once they were sure they were safe, the four regrouped, covered in sweat and panting heavily. Ashitaka realized he only had four arrows left. Yakul came to them when he saw they were no longer engaged in combat.

"So that's what's scaring these people." San commented as she looked to the blackened river, "There's no way we can let that thing live."

"I agree, but we should think about how we can defeat it." Ayuto said, "Ashitaka's arrows didn't do a thing, and none of us can get close enough to attack without risking a curse."

"We'll have to think of something else, then." Ashitaka chimed in, "It stopped chasing us for some reason, but I don't think it was out of its own good will."

"I think it was because it was almost out of the water." Shojubo suggested, "Only a bit of its tail was left in the river. Perhaps it needs it to live or something?"

"Maybe; that thing was a river spirit, so it probably has to remain close to it or else." San said, "The only problem is getting it out of the river."

"We can think of a way overnight." Ayuto said, "I don't think it will show itself again today."

"It's still early morning, though." Shojubo noted.

"All the better to come up with a plan."

"Let's find Toki and Kohroku first." Ashitaka said, "I want them to know our current situation."

The others nodded in agreement. Ashitaka and San headed back to the village. Ayuto was about to follow, but she heard her name called by Shojubo.

"Thank you for helping me back there." He said, his eyes unable to meet hers directly. His glance was slightly to the left of her head. "I don't think I would have been able to avoid that thing in time if you hadn't pushed me."

"Don't think too much of it." She said. Her gaze was less tepid than his. "Besides, you did the same thing when it was chasing me, so I think we're even."

"Even? I almost broke your neck doing that! We aren't even yet, I think."

A small smile appeared on Ayuto's face. "Then I'll think of another way you can pay me back. Until then, let's hurry to the others."

Shojubo nodded, a minor grin on his face, and followed her and the others. His footsteps were slightly faster than hers. He soon found himself walking alongside her, neither minding the other's presence.


	15. Chapter 15

**This chapter was finished by of course BlackSabbath4Ever for helping. We will have to get cracking on the next chapter now. Sometime soon this story will be finished. ****Also thank you for reviewing and following this story. **

XXX

Morning shifted to night as the four discussed a possible means to defeat the river demon. Inside the second story room of an inn, they sat on their knees, a table separating them. Their brainstorm had few arguments, though it also had just as few ideas. They decided that luring it from the water was their main goal. San suggested that it would be more vulnerable that way, at least enough for them to hurt it, but couldn't gauge the full extent of how weak it would become. Ashitaka reluctantly suggested bringing Yakul into the fray. He was fast enough to avoid the demon and Ashitaka could fire a killing shot once it left the river. Even with all their planning, they still had to wait for it to show itself again.

"Perhaps we can lure it out somehow," Shojubo suggested. "If that doesn't work, we can try to find it ourselves."

"How would we go about doing that?" San questioned.

There were several seconds of silence before Shojubo shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't a fully thought out plan, only an idea. He wasn't sure what could attract the demon. None of the villagers seemed to know, and they believed its attackers were random. San, however, wasn't so sure as she thought over the situation.

"Something happened to that spirit to make it a demon," She said, "Monsters like this aren't a random occurrence or a natural mistake. They're a product of a horrible event, and I'm sure that these humans are behind whatever made it an evil spirit. If we can figure out what happened, we may be able to bring it to us. It's much better than trying to find it. We would need to get into the river to do that, and that would be suicidal."

"What do you think happened?" Ayuto asked.

"I'm not sure. Nago was consumed by his hatred when he was shot, and a similar fate befell Lord Okkoto. Whatever happened was something that caused the river spirit to be filled with rage. With this many humans around, that could have been anything."

Although he did not share San's everlasting grudge against mankind, Ashitaka nodded and considered what may have transformed the river spirit. He did not believe it was a case similar to Nago or Okkoto, where violence caused their anger to fester until it overtook them. His eyes moved to the river flowing a half mile away. The water was clear and reflecting the pale moonlight. No sign of the demon appeared on the water, not a bubble from below nor a small churning whirlpool.

"This river must extend to other villages," Ashitaka noted, "There's no guarantee that these people know what happened."

"It would take us weeks to navigate this river, much longer to question every settlement we come across," Ayuto said. "I think luring it out could work. What sort of dangers might it entail?"

"Well, the simplest way we could bait it is to throw ourselves into the river," San replied. "That will get its attention and give us about two seconds before we're eaten."

Everybody fell silent once more. Their options were a dangerous yet quick route or a slow and safe one. Ashitaka knew that letting the emperor continue his endeavors for too long would do no good, though using themselves as bait for the demon seemed too rash. If it didn't dwell in a river or other body water, he would have considered the plan. It was too disadvantageous to put themselves in the demon's own environment. San was on the fence with both ideas, preferring to put the demon down quickly but not wanting to do so in a foolish manner. Shojubo was steadfast in his idea of asking the riverside settlements.

"Let's think this over for one night," Ayuto suggested. "We should have a decision by then."

"That sounds like a good idea," Shojubo said. Ashitaka and San agreed, and the four stood up and separated. Twelve hours of discussion without a break for food left them hungry and mentally exhausted. Their legs ached and their eyelids felt like they were lined with metal. Toki and Kohroku fell asleep an hour ago, though the streets in the village were still filled with people. Thanks to San, they had enough food to last at least two more weeks. Both Ashitaka and Shojubo made a quick dinner for the group. They cooked eggs and ham along with rice. A small growl came from both of their stomachs at different times while they cooked.

Following their dinner, they quickly went to sleep. San was unusually tired and was the first to fall asleep, curling herself up on a futon with a blanket pulled over her. Ashitaka fell asleep next to her. He slept on his side and had his left arm over San's side. Shojubo was slow to fall asleep, constantly rolling and tossing about while he tried to find slumber. Eventually, he gave up and sat up. His hair was messy and his eyes were dark. A sigh escaped his lungs as he lied back down, trying to fall asleep before the night pressed on for too long.

As his eyes wandered the room, he saw somebody standing at the window, staring at the distant river. She stared at the shimmering water which distorted the moon's reflection. Her legs were spread shoulder width and her hands were folded behind her back. Shojubo couldn't tell what she was looking for, if anything. He wanted to speak up, but he closed his mouth before any words were said. Ayuto didn't seem to notice Shojubo studying her. Perhaps she did yet didn't care. Pale moonlight fell onto her skin, making its pale complexion seem to glow in the room.

Several minutes passed before Ayuto moved a muscle, hanging her head briefly. Shojubo couldn't see if her eyes were closed. She returned to her futon and fell asleep, lying flat on her back as she pulled the covers over herself. Rather than say anything, Shojubo kept silent and turned on his side. He closed his eyes to try falling asleep again. His body urged to roll around, but he fought the habit and remained still.

"You're still awake, aren't you Shojubo?" Ayuto said in a soft voice, quiet enough to not wake San, the lightest sleeper of the four.

"How did you know?" He whispered.

"You always move around when you sleep," She replied. "I found it odd that you were lying still."

She lowered her slightly raised head and returned to sleep, not waking up once in the night. Shojubo was stunned that she noticed his behavior while sleeping. It was a bit unsettling for him as he thought about it for a few minutes. He wasn't sure if she was simply good on picking up details, or if she watched him sleep before. Eventually, he thought it better to not think of the idea, and returned to his sleep, tossing about until he was fully engrossed in slumber.

* * *

Come morning, the four convened once more to discuss their next plan of action. Shojubo reiterated his idea of seeking the origin of the spirit's transformation, one which Ashitaka agreed with, San was on the fence about, and Ayuto rejected. Once he brought up the idea again, she agreed with little hesitation.

"I thought you said that would be too slow," Shojubo said.

"I thought it over last night and decided it wouldn't be too bad of an idea," Ayuto explained. "Besides, I don't want to lose anybody on our journey to the capital. It's still very far away and we need as many fighters on our side as possible."

"Very well, then, I suppose we have our plan," Ashitaka said. "Unless, you have something else in mind, San?"

"Nothing that would end well," San commented. "I don't know too much about demons, and fighting something without being able to touch isn't something I'm used to doing."

With their course of action mapped, the four left the inn room. Ashitaka explained the plan to Toki and Kohroku before leaving. He left the two half of the remaining money, enough to remain in the inn for two weeks and purchase food to last, just in case their travels took them far away. Yakul was happy to be free of the stables. San hopped on first while Ashitaka sat behind her. Shojubo walked to Yakul's left while Ayuto disappeared soon after they left the village outskirts. Villagers informed the quartet that there was another village several miles to the south, one larger than the one they were staying in. Reaching the village was a short hour-and-a-half trip. Though they weren't optimistic they would receive answers, they thought it a wiser decision to at least check the settlement. Everyone left their weapons with Yakul, whom Ashitaka instructed to remain near the town but away from the townspeople.

Ayuto did most of the investigating, gathering rumors and questioning those who mentioned them. Ashitaka and San were on the lookout for possible troublemakers, namely samurai. Shojubo visited shops and restaurants to see if he could overhear any useful conversations. Several villagers knew of the river spirit, though few knew of its corruption. Some avoided the question when asked.

Shojubo gained what would become the most useful piece of information when he passed by a busy restaurant. Two men, each carrying a katana on their belts, stepped out of the shop and passed by Shojubo. Their clothes were made silk, colored blue with a paler cerulean trim. Neither noticed Shojubo, who looked nothing more than the average peasant. He put ten meters between himself and the two armed men before he began following. His eyes moved to the signs above buildings as he listened to the two men's conversation.

"So what is going to happen with the river?" The one on the right, a tall, lean, jet-haired man, asked.

"They're gonna try to make the demon show itself before hitting it with a bunch of arrows," The man on the left, a bulkier, baritone-voiced warrior, replied. "One of the scouts up north said it attacked yesterday, and some wandering swordsmen managed to fight it off."

"Samurai from another daimyo?"

"Not sure, but they definitely weren't anybody I knew of, judging by the descriptions; two of them were female. Anyway, if a couple of rag-tag vagabonds can take it on, we shouldn't have any problem. We're gonna set up our men by the lake and have one hundred bows ready to fire."

"Are you sure this plan is going to work? That's quite a few men to lose if things go awry."

"Idealy, we only lose a few; there are expected losses, but no more than four. Besides, isn't it worth four men to save several villages?"

"Whatever our lord desires."

Shojubo took several mental notes as he turned around and began searching for either San, Ashitaka, or Ayuto. He bumped into Ayuto as she left a clothing store.

"You thought you could find information in there?" Shojubo asked.

"It doesn't hurt to check, does it?" Ayuto replied with her eyebrows slightly raised.

"I suppose not. Anyway, I learned something which may be useful."

Shojubo reiterated what the two swordsmen said. His voice was low as they passed through the streets, searching for Ashitaka and San. Ayuto listened silently. She had no insight or ideas to provide at the moment, even with the newfound information. The two found Ashitaka and San near the western side of the village. San was examining a nearby farm which was next to the river. Its crops appeared well, though it was only her estimation; she had no idea what humans considered to be a good crop. Her ears picked up the approaching Shojubo and Ayuto. Along with Ashitaka, she listened to what Shojubo had learned.

"We heard from some villagers that there are soldiers gathering further south," Ashitaka said. "Perhaps they have something to do with this."

"If so, we may want to head down there, quickly," Shojubo suggested.

Ashitaka nodded. Neither San nor Ayuto protested.

"How far south is the town?" Ayuto asked.

"One of the villagers mentioned that it was along the river, so we can continue following it so we can find the town," Ashitaka answered. "I think we should leave as soon as possible."

The others nodded in agreement. They couldn't afford to use more money and food by staying in town; their food would be used better on the road and their money for supplies from another town. Ashitaka fetched Yakul and told him the new plan. Yakul nodded his head twice and rubbed his nose against Ashitaka's cheek. A friendly smile appeared on Ashitaka's face, the first in several days, and he brushed Yakul's neck. San hopped onto his back and Ashitaka sat behind her. Shojubo took his usual place in their marching order and they set off towards the south. Ayuto vanished once again, following at a distance. Everyone had a hollow feeling in their guts, a feeling of worriness that made them tepid as they followed the river. Their eyes watched the water as they walked parallel alongside the stream.


	16. Chapter 16

**BlackSabbath4Ever and I promise the next chapter will have fights and romance. That of course doesn't mean this chapter is bad so I hope you can at least smile after reading it. **

XXX

Ashitaka, San, Shojubo, and Ayuto sat at the end of the table closest to the door. Yujiro's associates joined him at the opposite end. Their eyes remained steady on the four outsiders. They invited the four in so they could explain why they arrived, what they knew of the demon, and what happened during their encounter at the river. San and Ayuto didn't speak. Shojubo chimed in as Ashitaka explained everything to the samurai captain and his compatriots. The three men flanking Yujiro glanced at him every once in awhile, though the captain remained stone-faced. After ten minutes of detailing their fight at the river and the demon's possible weakness, Ashitaka waited for a response from Yujiro.

"I see," Yujiro grumbled. "This monster's power is only limited to charges and bites? I expected more out of a supposed demon."

"It still isn't something you can take lightly," Ashitaka insisted. "This creature was once a river spirit, and it isn't going to be easy to trick it out of the water."

"You're assuming this idea of yours even works. I don't think this is something that my men cannot handle, now that you've described it. It's just one large snake, keeping to the waters to protect itself from any danger. An arrow volley will probably take care of it."

"You're wrong," San said, surprising the others in the room. She had been silent the entire time, only moving her eyes between those who were speaking. "Demons are strong enough to withstand one hundred of your arrows. The only thing that can kill demons are either themselves or their own kind."

"You sound like you know quite a bit about demons," Yujiro remarked. "Tell me more. How exactly do you know how demons are defeated?"

"I've seen them, I've tried to prevent them from becoming what they are. Ashitaka once killed a demon, but it was one that was already weakened when they crossed paths, and his strength was enhanced by a curse. One of the lords of the forest, a boar spirit named Okotto, became a demon and only died when the Forest Spirit ended his life out of mercy. My..." San's voice cracked when she began recalling what happened to Moro, the wolf spirit she considered her mother. She grit her teeth, holding back any sign of grief as she continued. "My mother was turning into a demon, yet she was also laid to rest by the Forest Spirit. Even then, some life in her body remained, and she bit off a woman's arm before finally succumbing to the curse in her body. This demon plaguing the river exists because something has made it a hate-filled monster. Fighting it head on will be the biggest mistake of your life, and quite possibly the end of it as well."

Yujiro slowly nodded at her words. "What made those demons you met? What made them so angry?"

"They were once spirits defending the forest near Irontown, and the humans there tried to drive them away. The only reason they were able to succeed was because a woman arrived with guns. Those were stronger than the humans' bows and arrows, strong enough to lodge a bullet in my mother's chest, in Okotto and Nago's bodies, and blow off the head of the Forest Spirit."

"Guns, eh? My men do not have guns, unfortunately. They're quite rare, quite expensive, but they'll catch on, I'm sure. Still, one gunshot cannot amount to a hundred arrows. This demon is strong, I know, but there isn't a beast, spirit, or other being roaming this world that can take that many wounds and remain standing."

"You don't understand," San growled, her head lowered and eyes glaring at Yujiro. The three men surrounding him kept their eyes on San, their hands resting on their weapons. "One of your arrows couldn't pierce a piece of armor. One of those bullets could rip through four armored humans."

"But that demon has no armor, just thick skin. A single arrow from one of my men could kill a bear. One hundred can kill this demon."

San leaned back and shook her head. She was surprised at Yujiro's stubbornness, though she supposed many humans were like that. Ashitaka was stubborn, though it wasn't like Yujiro. While Ashitaka stubbornness was one based in persistence, Yujiro's came from pride. He couldn't imagine his men failing to defeat one creature. She was sure this human led many others through bloody, painful battles, and at the end he would stand proudly atop a hill of corpses, but not once did he stand atop a demon's dead body.

"If you doubt my men's strength, you can witness it tomorrow," Yujiro boasted. "This demon appears to show itself when people are near the river. It won't be able to ignore one hundred men waiting by the bank."

"Let us join you," Ashitaka requested. "We can help lure it out for you." The other three around him jerked their heads towards him. San's eyes were wide, Ayuto had an eye raised, and Shojubo's brow was furrowed.

"You want to risk your lives to help some men you've never met before?" Yujiro questioned, and Ashitaka responded with a nod. "Your friends don't seem so keen on the idea, young man."

Ashitaka looked at the other three and saw the perplexed looks on their faces. He turned to face Yujiro and said, "Then I can do this on my own. You're not only risking your soldiers' lives; this monster can hurt other people if it manages to get far enough out of the water. This town is close enough to the river to be threatened."

Yujiro nodded and glanced to each of his confidants. None offered opposition. "Very well, Ashitaka, I will accept your help. Arrive here tomorrow at noon so we can prepare. I will supply you a horse."

"I have a mount of my own," Ashitaka said. "He'll serve well in place of a horse."

"This is a mistake," San remarked as they exited the inn. "What purpose will helping those humans serve? Let them fight that demon and see what they're truly up against."

"Like I said to Yujiro: I'm more concerned with the people in this town," Ashitaka said. "The wall is only twenty feet away from the water and I doubt it would last against the demon."

The four travelers were making their way towards the riverside. They wanted to get on the ramparts to examine it from above, but the guards patrolling the walls wouldn't allow them up. Ashitaka reminded them to keep some distance between themselves and the water.

"We still don't know what created this thing," Ayuto noted.

"I know; that's why I want to check out the river," Ashitaka said.

At first glance, thirty feet away, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The river flowed fast. It was clear and reflected the bright blue sky like a liquid mirror. San scanned the riverbank, and on one side nearby the walls, she noticed a patch of dead grass. While the field surrounding it was green and lush, the blotch of yellow, dry grass stood out. She walked towards it and immediately picked up a familiar smell: the choking, throat-burning scent of smoke.

"San?" Ashitaka called as she broke away from the group.

"Come over here," San said as she stopped in front of the barren patch. The other four caught up and noticed what she was talking about. It was a five foot wide spot of dead grass which extended towards the river. As the others stood confused as to what was significant about it, San noticed several metal pipes sticking out of the wooden wall. "What's this?" She asked as she tapped on one of the pipes.

"Not sure," Ashitaka replied.

"It could be a pipe meant for waste," Ayuto suggested. "Byproducts from materials, I mean. I've seen a few around places like a forge, mostly to get rid of unwanted metals and things which could weaken the integrity of steel."

"You don't think that could have leaked into the river, could it?" Shojubo asked.

"Maybe not, but it's possible that the river swells once in awhile and picks up this stuff. I can't imagine it would be good for the water."

Ashitaka nodded, now understanding why San was concerned about some yellow grass. "I wonder how long this has been here." He said.

"It could have been here for years," Ayuto noted. "This settlement doesn't look like it was made recently. With the tension between the daimyos, I wouldn't be shocked if this forge and its owner has made hundreds of weapons for various soldiers."

Ashitaka nodded and looked towards the pipes. There was a small amount of smoke in the air.

"I'm going to find someplace to rest," Ashitaka said. "I need to think of how I'm going to take on this demon."

"I still think you shouldn't do this," San remarked.

"It does seem rather stupid to risk your life for those samurai," Ayuto muttered. "Though, I suppose the townspeople would be doomed if that demon killed them."

"That's why I want to help them and get this over quickly," Ashitaka said. "Yujiro won't want to wait for an evacuation. I'm sorry, everyone, but I can't sit by and let this happen. If something goes wrong, just continue to the capital without me."

With his last statement, San grabbed Ashitaka's arm and yanked him so he could face her. Her eyes were wide and glaring at him.

"Nothing will go wrong Ashitaka," She said through gritted teeth. "You don't have to fight this thing, you just have to make sure you don't get caught by it. Once this is over, we're heading straight for the capital. There will be no stops, no more distractions, and after we're done with whatever it is we are going to do over there, we can go back home."

Ayuto and Shojubo stood stunned. San was ignorant to their confused stares. Ashitaka, however, smiled at San, who looked like a rabid wolf who was about to froth at the mouth. She would never say she was worried about him. Showing concern was something she must have perceived as a weakness, a flaw which enemies, be it humans or beasts she fought, would exploit. He smiled and wrapped his fingers around the hand San was using to grab him.

"Don't worry San, I'll make sure I don't get hurt," Ashitaka said with a smile.

"And I'll make sure you don't get hurt," Shojubo said. "Luring away this monster won't be easy. It would be safer if there were two of us."

"Shojubo..." Ashitaka began, but he paused himself. He could see the determination brightening Shojubo's eyes. The smile on his face, which was gentle when facing San, widened to one of confidence as he nodded. "Alright, let's get ready to-"

"I'm joining," San interrupted. "The more people on board we have for this, the better."

"I suppose I should join as well," Ayuto said. "I couldn't live with myself knowing that I was almost beaten by this thing and never tried fighting back."

Ashitaka's mouth was slightly open at San and Ayuto's support. They didn't seem keen on the idea when he offered assistance, but now they didn't look like they were going to back down from the impending battle.

"Thank you, all of you," He said. "I know that this is out of the way and very dangerous, but I promise this will be the last stop before the capital."

"It's no problem," Ayuto assured. "We're allies, we should stick together. As long as you swear that this is the last roadstop, I don't have any qualms with helping these people."

"I promise: no more distractions after this."

Ayuto nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"I guess we will need those horses after all," Shojubo remarked. "Ashitaka, can you go talk to Yujiro about those? I'm going to see if there's an inn that isn't completely occupied by samurai."

The dark new moon loomed above Fuyuki. Stars reflected on the cursed river's surface as the demon lurked below the surface, slithering on the muddy bed as it stalked a deer near the bank. Ignorant to the distant demon's presence was Ashitaka, San, Shojubo, and Ayuto. To conserve their money, they purchased two rooms rather than three. Ashitaka managed to find a boarding house in the south side of the town. They stayed in rooms on the third floor. Samurai occupied the rest of the rooms, shouting and rambling throughout the early evening. Their noise quieted down as midnight approached.

Ashitaka spent most the night gazing out the window. The river was peaceful and still. He kept his breath even and cleared his mind of all distractions, easing himself as the seconds passed by and the battle inched closer. San tried falling asleep but kept opening an eye to watch Ashitaka. After an hour, she got up from the futon and stood beside him.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked, her eyes wandering to the dark river.

"Not really," Ashitaka replied. "I'm just thinking about tomorrow; the battle, the samurai, what I should do. This doesn't seem like a good idea. I feel like something is going to go wrong."

"What might that be?"

Ashitaka shrugged. "I fear what will happen when the samurai fire their first volley. Do you think that demon will ignore one hundred men just so it could chase me?"

"If the samurai are back far enough, they won't have anything to worry, right?"

"I suppose, but the town is close to the river."

San's eyes moved from the river to the lanterns in the streets. There were no humans walking about. She remembered seeing dozens of humans in Irontown at night. Fuyuki was nothing like Irontown, though she was still surprised that the streets were vacant.

"Why do you help these humans, anyway?" San questioned. "You don't know any of them, they aren't of your clan, and there doesn't seem to be any gain afterwards."

"I do it so that others aren't hurt by something like the demon we're fighting, or by samurai who abuse their power," Ashitaka replied, turning to face San. "There's no tangible reward, but allowing people to lead a happy life with less worries is worth more to me than a hill of gold."

San nodded. "I don't think I quite understand. In the forest, regardless of the humans, the only ones who I would go out of my way to help were my brothers and mother. I'd help some of the other beasts drive out humans, but that was to protect the forest."

"That's understandable. My reasons are more of a human ideal."

San tilted her head to the right. "I don't see any other humans like you."

"Shojubo isn't too far off. He didn't have to come with us."

"I still can't name a single human who acts like you, though."

Ashitaka shrugged. "Not all humans are the same."

"I know," San said as they returned their respective gazes to the shimmering water. Those were words Ashitaka told San several times following the clash between Irontown's residents and the beasts of the forest. She accepted the idea after some time, though she wasn't sure humans were as good as Ashitaka believed. Nevertheless, she leaned her head against his shoulder, the two smiling as night passed.

In a left adjacent room, Shojubo lay on his back, arms folded behind his head, as he slowly drifted towards sleep. He wasn't close to slumber when Ayuto sat up from her separate futon and asked if he was awake.

"Yes; why?" He responded.

"There's something I've been wondering that's somewhat been bothering me," Ayuto said. "Why are you helping Ashitaka and San? You don't seem to have known them for very long, nor do you have any reason to fight the emperor."

"Part of it was just to get out of my village. For many years, I wondered what lay beyond those springtime muddy farmlands and scathing summer heatwaves. I found true purpose when I learned that the emperor was after Lady Eboshi. She isn't somebody I've ever met, but some of the people I know spoke highly of her, talking about how she always helped her people, particularly the women. It didn't sit right with me that the emperor would want somebody like that dead or out of power."

"Try telling that to San, see how well that goes. This Lady Eboshi sounds pleasant in some ways, but she isn't pure, just like any other human."

"I know she's flawed, but she does enough good that it seems worth going out of my way. Besides, these past few weeks have been some of the most exciting of my life; some of the most dangerous, too."

"I suppose I see your reasoning. Can't say I agree with you."

"Well, I'd bet there aren't two people in the world who agree on everything."

Ayuto nodded in agreement, her head slightly cocked to the right. She lay back down on her futon. As her raven colored hair touched the pillow, she shot her body up and turned to Shojubo.

"I just remembered something," She exclaimed, so fast that Shojubo almost didn't catch what she said. "What were you going to say I was earlier today?"

"What are you talking about?" Shojubo asked, having forgot their conversation from the late-morning.

"Before we met Yujiro, we were walking and you wanted to make sure I wasn't being troubled by something. When I said I was fine, you said you were relieved, and then you were about to say something about me."

Shojubo stared blankly as his mind rushed to recall the earlier exchange. His eyes widened when he remembered the conversation Ayuto was talking about. As he regained the details and what he had said, his face became flushed. He turned his head away and down. Ayuto didn't spot his reddening face, though she found his actions suspicious.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Nothing, there's nothing wrong, it's just..." Shojubo was hesitant to continue, but the forceful clutch Ayuto placed on his collar convinced him otherwise. "Okay, I'll say it: Ayuto, you're somebody that, over the course of this entire journey, I've... come to really like you."

Shojubo shot his face away and shuffled back on his knees. He braced for one of two reactions: Ayuto to start laughing or call him an idiot. Instead, she was silent, her back straight and eyes staring at the wall without seeing it.

"I see," She said, still unmoving. Her eyes moved towards Shojubo. They gazed at him for several seconds before closing. Shojubo looked on confused, unable to read her expression even as her eyes reopened. Without another word, Ayuto shuffled back into her covers and lay on her back. Shojubo did the same, wondering what reaction his admission generated, as they began to drift asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**Well I just remembered after finishing this chapter with BlackSabbath4Ever that Princess Mononoke is a movie and not just an animated show so it begs the question if it will end soon or keep going. **

XXX

The red morning sky greeted the hundred and one gathered samurai. Gathered at the front gate in five rows of five men, four brigades stood at attention as Yujiro Tanaka stood before them. His impressive height was accentuated by his tall helmet. A shadow was cast over the first three rows of warriors. Their eyes were fixed on their captain, and their backs were straight as Yujiro's voice called them to attention.

"Today, we purge the river of a demon which lurks in its depths," He announced. "Our lord has decreed that this monster is to be destroyed before it can bring harm to his people. Like the rest of you, I have never faced a beast like the one we fight today; I in fact questioned its existence until recently. Nevertheless, we shall not let the fear of an unknown enemy drive us away from victory."

Yujiro's voice, clear and calm, never raising to the level of a shout, reached every samurai in rank. Their heads were raised as they listened to their captain's assurance of victory, their spirits lifted and hearts pounding in anticipation of battle.

"Together, we have fought dozens of battles together in this time of unrest, yet none under the circumstances of today's impending struggle. This is only a single enemy we face. It is one of great size, of great power, and of great speed. Today, we must pool our strength as a unit if we are to be victorious. If we handle this battle the same way we have handled those of the past, we will be victorious. We will be victorious despite the dirt in our wounds; we will be victorious no matter how hard the enemy fights back; we will be victorious no matter the foe, be it man or demon."

Yujiro turned his back to the soldiers, signifying the end of his speech. An approving roar boomed behind him as the samurai raised their katanas and yumi bows above their heads.

"Sounds like they're ready to start," San remarked atop her horse. She, Ashitaka, Ayuto, and Shojubo gathered while the sky was dark and prepared themselves for the upcoming battle. San had initial difficulty getting onto her horse when they mounted the beasts. Ashitaka and Shojubo couldn't help but giggle as she began arguing with it.

"Alright; is there any last minute changes we should make with the plan?" Ashitaka asked.

"None here," Shojubo replied. Ayuto shook her head. Their plan was a simple one designed to lure away the demon, not engage it. They would ride towards the demon and break off into four directions. When the demon chased one of them, one of the other three would join another rider, hopefully diverting the monster away. When they were sure it would keep following, they would divert away from the river in hopes that it would blindly follow. Each of them agreed it wasn't foolproof, but they were confident it would still work well. Only Ashitaka was experienced in traditional riding; neither Ayuto nor Shojubo had ridden before, and San didn't have to control her mount since her brothers required no guidance. He quickly taught them how to use the reins to control their horses.

"Good, because it looks like they're ready."

Their heads turned towards the gate as the heavy wooden doors were pulled open. One hundred samurai, led by their towering captain, marched with their bows in hand and quivers stocked. Black paint darkened their eyes. Yujiro's eyes were invisible behind the shadow cast by his helmet. The ground quivered around their thudding metal boots, the pebbles and stones hopping with every step. As the four watched, Yujiro broke from rank and approached them.

"Do you still doubt the strength of my lord's army?" Yujiro asked Ashitaka.

"I never questioned your power, only your judgment in this matter," Ashitaka replied. "Your men know the plan, right?"

"Yes; they'll keep a fair distance from the river and fire at this demon. I still believe they should remain closer to the bank so their aim would not suffer."

"It's too risky. The demon will likely go after them if they're too close."

"Hm, it's understandable. Let's hope this fares well and we return with no losses on our side."

Ashitaka nodded as Yujiro returned to his men and reiterated the strategy to them once more.

"Let's go," He told San, Ayuto, and Shojubo. They nodded and followed as Yakul trotted to the river. One hundred and fifty feet away, the samurai assembled themselves into four groups. Commanding each individual unit was a sergeant who stood at the far left in the first row. Their bows were ready and arrows between their fingers.

The four riders strolled along the riverbank. They knew the demon wasn't sure to show itself. Nevertheless, their eyes scanned the water, looking past its surface as they tried to observe the riverbed. Yujiro and his soldiers watched as the four rode up and down the river. For two hours, they rode back and forth, traveling up to three miles from their origin. Their horses didn't tire despite the constant movement.

As time continued to pass and the demon failed to show itself, the samurai began growing restless. Mutters arose and their formerly grandiose postures degenerated. They spun their arrows between their fingers and twiddled with their bowstrings. Yujiro glanced back at the frustrated men, though he understood their discontent. He was still unsure of the demon's existence and wondered if his daimyo's fears were unfounded. Many of the peasants believed in old legends he considered foolish tales. One hand clenched into the fist, prepared to raise and address his men.

A pillar of water shot from the river as the four rode by one more time. The horses whinnied and reared, and the four pulled the reins away. Water dripped off the demon and revealed its corrupted body. Its eyes were fixed on the samurai, who hurriedly prepared their arrows. Ashitaka glanced at the samurai and back to the demon.

"Spread!" Ashitaka shouted. San, Shojubo, and Ayuto bolted in three directions; San and Ayuto went left, with Ayuto diverging further from the river, while Ashitaka and Shojubo headed to the right. The bow strings twanged as the samurai unleashed their first barrage. Eight-nine of the hundred-and-one arrows pelted the black demon's scales, piercing its neck, mouth, and snake-like torso. Some were caught in the purple sludge dripping off the demon in large gobs. A roar erupted from the beast, one which made the ground quiver and the water ripple.

"Second volley!" Yujiro ordered as the samurai readied their arrows. They fired again, with ninety-one of the arrows finding their marks. The arrows whistled through the air and broke when they struck the demon. Once more, the demon bellowed, causing the snapped arrows to slide out of his scales.

"This isn't working," Yujiro grumbled. He observed the growling monster, his eyes moving from head to the submerged part of its serpentine body. "Ashitaka! See if you can get that thing out of the water!"

"Got it!" Ashitaka called from several hundred feet away. He kicked Yakul's sides, signaling the red elk to ride towards the demon. Yakul knew the plan. Though he was fearful of the demon's power, he galloped towards it at top speed, his hooves crushing the grass below.

Ashitaka notched an arrow and fired at the demon's left eye. It was the same area he targeted when Nago attacked the Emishi village; he hoped it would be more effective with this monster. His bowstring snapped forward as the arrow was let loose. The demon shrieked as the arrow sunk several inches into its soft, squishy eye, burying itself near the beast's skull. Another earth-shaking roar was released as the demon shot its body at Ashitaka and Yakul. While the demon moved like a hurricane, Yakul was a lightning bolt. Mud, dirt, and rocks flew into the air as the demon tore through the ground.

"Quickly, third volley!" Yujiro ordered. The samurai fired once more, though only seventy of their arrows hit. Some bounced off the enraged demon's scales, though most sunk between them and pierced its thick flesh. They felt nothing more than pinches to the demon. Its focus was entirely on Ashitaka, the only one in its range that managed to cause any real pain.

A flash of pain hit the demon as a spearhead of bone tore through its eye. She was only a blur once she yanked out the spear, but San managed to injure the demon worse than any of the previous attacks. Its body twisted and turned to face her as it let out another guttural scream. San struggled to control her horse, jerking the reins back and to the right so it would stop and turn. The horse finally followed her command and barely dodged a bite from the demon's gaping jaw. Ayuto quickly joined San, riding alongside her as their horses charged away. Beside them, the demon began to close the distance. Their horses, though strong and hardy, were not as fast as Yakul. Both women felt their heartbeats escalate as the black maw of the demon inched closer. Rows of teeth like giant nails of bone were dripping with the black sludge covering the demon.

"Fire!" A deep voice boomed. The hundred samurai raised their bows at the demon and fired, with ninety of them landing a hit. Despite the speed at which the beast moved, its massive size made it an easy target. Most targeted the monster's head; seeing the damage Ashitaka made gave them an idea of where to strike. Yet the ninety arrows which riddled the demon didn't slow its pace. It continued its pursuit of San and Ayuto, both of whom were less than thirty feet away from the titanic serpent. Ashitaka and Shojubo saw their plight and rode towards them.

"Do you want us to shake this thing off for a while?" Ashitaka called.

"Just long enough for us to get some distance," San replied.

Ashitaka nodded and notched an arrow, aiming for the demon's wounded eye. He wasn't sure if it was still able to see clearly or if its vision was muddled to some degree For all he knew, it was using its other senses to seek out its attackers. The arrow fired and struck the monster's eye, eliciting a howl as it curved its body. Yakul immediately switched direction and ran off. Shojubo followed close behind. Behind them, the demon began another charge, seeking to close the eighty-foot gap between itself and its attackers.

"Fire!" Yujiro's voice roared again. Ashitaka's head jerked towards the direction of the order. He and Shojubo were in the line of the samurai's fire as they ran parallel to the river.

"Wait! Not yet!" Ashitaka shouted; his cry was too late, however, and the samurai already unleashed their fifth barrage. Shojubo was already moving out of the way once he saw the bows raised. A twenty foot corridor separated he and Ashitaka. Both men pulled their mounts' reins away from each other, widening the space so the arrows had a clear path. Even then, it was not enough.

Three arrows struck Shojubo's horse, hitting its neck, chest, and its left front leg. She cried a loud whinny as she tumbled to the ground, throwing Shojubo onto the soft, wet ground. Shojubo cursed as he tumbled into the mud. He managed to roll onto his shoulder, avoiding a serious injury, though he slipped as he tried to stand. Ashitaka began to turn to help him, but he was cut off by the demon. It lashed towards the samurai, ignoring Ashitaka and Shojubo, and unleashed an ear-splitting scream which could be heard by the townsfolk. As it charged, the last inch of its tail left the river. Both Ashitaka and Shojubo could see what garnered its attention; six of the samurais' arrows were sticking out of the dragon's eyes.

"We have it now!" Yujiro exclaimed. "Prepare the next-"

Before he could finish his order, the wounded demon barreled through the gathered samurai, mouth agape. The force of the stampede knocked down all but four samurai and Yujiro. Their armor began to melt as the demon's sludge covered them, causing those caught in the goring attack to scream and panic. Three samurai were caught by the demon's teeth. One's chest was pierced on the lower jaw. Next to him hung the limp body of a man with a tooth through his throat. Above them was a man who helmet was caught, those his body was uninjured. He desperately called to the other samurai, pleading for them to free him from the abyss. None could act fast enough; the demon's jaws shut like two mountains colliding at the speed of a falcon, crushing all three bodies. Bones snapped and eyes popped. A mixture of soft flesh, tough muscle, and metal shards were swallowed by the raging beast.

"Regroup!" Yujiro ordered as the demon's tail flew past. "Reorganize and fire!"

The remaining samurai hurriedly formed a rough rectangle and readied their weapons. In addition to the three swallowed men, four others lay motionless, their unmoving bodies drenched by the tar colored gunk. They were slow to ready their arrows, some shaken and others fumbling to fix their equipment. Several fired at the demon as it returned to the river. Their arrows splashed into the water, though none failed to pierce the beast's hide.

"Quickly! Recreate the formation!" Yujiro yelled. The ninety-three samurai organized themselves, shifting their gear into place.

"Yujiro, are your men okay?" Shojubo asked as he rode towards the samurai. As he approached, he realized the answer to his question stood in front of him: four still samurai and three missing from the area without a trace of their bodies.

"We'll be fine, just get that monster back out of the water," Yujiro replied. "It's weak and on the run; I guess you four were right. Men!" Yujiro turned to face the remaining warriors. "The demon is injured, and now we have proven we can hurt corrupted gods! With two more volleys, maybe even one more well-aimed barrage, we will avenge our fallen comrades and save our lord's people!"  
A rousing cheer erupted from the crowd, as though they forgot the loss of their allies. Their arrows were notched and pointed towards the river.

Several hundred feet away, Ayuto rode to Ashitaka and asked him to accompany him to the river. "Yakul can run faster than my horse. Once it's close enough, I want you to break towards San. I'm pretty sure Shojubo is out of the fight." She said.

"Sounds like a good plan," Ashitaka agreed. "Let's go."

"One moment," Ayuto said as she rode towards Shojubo. The young man was staring at his dead horse, its lifeless corpse still and its giant eyes open yet not looking. "Shojubo..."

"You want me to get to safety, right?" Shojubo asked, predicting Ayuto's request. A grin, one displaying disappointment rather than satisfaction, appeared on his face. "Don't worry, I'll get away from the battle. I'm not stupid enough to stay back right now."

Ayuto nodded and returned to the battle. Shojubo's eyes turned towards the chipped formation of samurai. He could afford to examine them for a bit; the demon was beginning to chase Ashitaka already. The samurai released yet another volley. Ninety-four shots in total, counting Yujiro. Four lay motionless, their mouths agape, eyes rolled back, flesh burned by the black slime, and hands open. Their bows were still intact and their quivers hadn't been taken by their allies.

"No point in standing around," Shojubo muttered as he glanced back at the demon, which was beginning to catch up to Ayuto. He sprinted towards the samurai and grabbed a bow and quiver. The group was too focused on the dragon-like demon to notice their comrades being looted. Shojubo hurried away from the group and notched an arrow. Like with the kanabo, he had no training with the weapon in his hands, but he had seen Ashitaka fire one enough to get the idea.

Shojubo got onto one knee and aimed at the demon. He felt it would be a good idea to get a feel of the weapon before trying to aim for the beast's eye. It took him ten seconds to notch the arrow once it was out of the quiver. His eyes widened for a flash when he pulled the taut bowstring, using more strength than expected as he readied the arrow. A loud twang rang near his ear, which was nearly clipped by the bowstring. The arrow managed to find its mark, hitting the demon's body near the center, though it didn't seem to have much effect.

"Fire the next volley! Now!" Yujiro ordered. Shojubo noticed that the last inch of the monster's body was out of the water again. Ashitaka and Ayuto were riding towards the samurai, branching away in time for the next barrage. Neither noticed Shojubo notching his arrow and aiming at the demon's head. Ninety-five arrows were fired. Seventy-eight hit, including Shojubo's projectile. It was his that hit the monster in the eye, the same one San stabbed with her spear, and made it screech in agony. However, its charge didn't slow. Every samurai scrambled to get away, though dozens were caught in the demon's path. Screams echoed from the area as the demon's tail whipped, striking more samurai as it turned its head to Shojubo.

"Uh oh..." He said in a voice barely above a whisper. Black sludge flew from the demon's crooked teeth as it roared, its jaw wide enough to swallow a small house. The ground around it was torn up as it bolted towards its attacker. Shojubo's first instinct was to turn and flee but he didn't want to take his eyes off the beast. His next thought was to backpedal but he feared tripping over a rock or a small hole. Time seemed to slow as the demon hurled itself towards Shojubo. Though he wanted to flee, his body wasn't following his mind, which was screaming at him to retreat or face the cold embrace of death.

"You've got to be kidding me!" A familiar female voice shouted. "Get out of the way!"

Shojubo felt something smack his left side, knocking him to the ground as the demon shot past. There was the sound of a horse galloping which got quieter with each passing second. His thoughts were still returning when he felt something hook under each arm and drag him through the mud. Blood trickled down the right side of his head; he supposed he hit the ground harder than the pain registered.

"What were you thinking?" That same female voice yelled. "Why weren't you moving? You could have been-"

The voice was cut off by a bellowing roar which shook the leaves overhead. Shojubo felt something press against his back. It was rough and snagged parts of his shirt. His hand absently drifted behind him and felt tree bark.

"Where's that bow?" The familiar voice muttered, seeming to speak to nobody but herself. Shojubo tried to piece his mind back together. He knew that he was in danger, that some ferocious monster was destroying the nearby land, but he couldn't get his senses going. His eyes squeezed shut and reopened twice. Somebody, the owner of that familiar voice, shouted a curse he couldn't make out. Accompanying that voice was the loud twang of a bowstring. "We have to rejoin San and Ashitaka before-"

The voice was once again cut off, this time by a loud crash. Shojubo was propelled forward by the impact of something that gored through the tree he was sitting against. His head hit the ground again, smack in the forehead, and something else hit it in the back. He wasn't sure what caused that second blow; it may have been a chunk of the tree or a rock that was caught in the destructive force's path. Either way, it was what caused his mind to shut off, relieving him of his consciousness. One final thought before the empty sleep overtook him was, "I wonder if Ayuto is okay."

* * *

"San, this way!" Ashitaka yelled as Yakul dashed away from the forest.

"Got it," She said as she pulled the horse's reins. Ashitaka was notching another arrow, but the demon was too far in the forest to get a clear shot. They had watched it barrel through a tree that Ayuto was using for cover, one which she was using to defend a wounded Shojubo. San was doubtful of their survival. If the impact hadn't done them in, the black sludge dripping off the demon like raindrops from a leaf would have killed them. It had killed sixty of the samurai who had come to slay the demon. Their captain, Yujiro Tanaka, lay wounded beyond help in the mass of his men's corpses. Though none of the black sludge managed to catch him, the demon's teeth caught his legs from the lower thigh, tearing them off, muscle and bone alike.

Trees were torn from their roots as the demon burst from the forest. Ashitaka fired the arrow and caught the demon in the throat, causing it to screech and cringe, though its rampage was only slowed. Its entire body was out of the water and covered in dirt, twigs, and leaves. San and Ashitaka wanted to take advantage of the monster's vulnerability, but it continued to hound them like a shark seeking its bloodied prey. Without the arrow volleys to halt its progress for even a moment, the draconic demon needed little effort to catch up to San, whose powerful warhorse was never built or bred to reach the beast's blinding speed. Ten feet separated San and the demon.

"San! Duck your head!" Ashitaka shouted as he turned and notched an arrow. It was the worst possible angle for a shot; his body was twisted almost completely around his waist and he was shooting with his non-dominant hand. Yakul's speed made it difficult to aim, even with the almost non-detectable pauses between each gallop. The arrow was shaky and the string wasn't pulled back all the way. He couldn't see himself making the shot.

The shot landed square between the demon's eyes. Flesh, blood, and the black muck surrounding it exploded as the projectile burrowed into the beast's skull and lodged itself in the brain. Its body dropped to the ground like a heavy chunk of stone, crushing the dirt and grass below. A deep groove was created in the torn ground as its corpse was carried by momentum. Blood pooled near the demon's head when it finally came to a halt, its body several feet away from the river as it breathed its final breath. Ashitaka lowered his arrow and stared at the body in shock. San's eyes moved from the body to the origin of the shot; it was an attack she heard before she saw it hit. Standing more than one hundred feet away was a raven-haired, fair skinned woman with one arm, a rifle on her shoulder which was balanced by a prong stuck in the ground, whose face was brightened by a satisfied smile which resembled a smirk.

"Eboshi," San hissed.

* * *

Dim light poured through the half-closed window shutters. Above was the rosewood ceiling of the inn room Shojubo shared with Ayuto. The futon beneath his back was warm and soft, though he could still feel the bruises and cuts left from the battle. What energy he once had was long gone. His body felt heavy, as though his skin was made of iron and his bones were stone, and he struggled to open his eyes open.

"Shojubo," A voice groaned close by to his left. He instantly recognized Ayuto's low voice. "Why didn't you dodge?"

"Dodge?" He repeated wearily. Memories of the battle were hazy after he was propped against the tree. It was clear to him that Ayuto saved him after fear overtook his mind, crippling his body and shutting down his reflexes. "I guess I didn't know what to do."

"You were paralyzed by terror, weren't you. I once felt the same sensation when I first fought a man directly. He wasn't a samurai, just a highwayman. This was before I knew how to better use my daggers. They were lost early on in the fight. I was scared, scared enough for my knees to give out. I suppose he thought he won because he went up to me and tried to rip off my shirt. When I realized what was happening, I pulled his arm by the sleeve and bit into his neck. That didn't kill him but it bought me enough time to get my daggers and stab him; I can't remember how long I stabbed him for. It was long enough to desensitize me to the sight of blood."

Shojubo turned his body to face Ayuto. She was laying on her stomach, her torso bandaged from the chest to above her navel with clean white cloth. Ayuto showed no sign of anger or disappointment, though he always had a hard time reading her expressions. Her eyes were calm and her mouth was angled slightly down, not enough for him to consider it a frown.

"Why are you telling me this?" Shojubo asked.

"Because you were in a similar situation, only one more dire, yet you didn't try to save yourself. I won't always be there to help you, neither will Ashitaka or San."

Shojubo nodded. He felt like scolding himself for making a near-fatal mistake, but was nevertheless thankful for Ayuto saving him. "I'm sorry for putting you in danger. Are you badly hurt?"

"When the demon crashed through the trees, he sent bark and rocks flying. You were badly bruised, but some of what was tossed into the air cut deep into my skin. I'll be fine, but it hurts too much to stand right now."

Shojubo released a quiet sigh and returned to staring at the ceiling. "If there's anything I can do for you, just say it. It's my fault you got hurt."

"That's not true. Part of it is my fault, as I didn't have to throw myself into danger to help."

Shojubo glanced at Ayuto for a brief moment. He wasn't sure whether or not she was trying to cheer him up or make him feel more guilty; it invoked the latter more than the former.

"Where's Ashitaka and San?" Shojubo asked.

"Downstairs with Eboshi," Ayuto replied. "She showed up and shot the demon. I don't know what happened after she arrived."

"Eboshi's here?" Shojubo scratched the back of his head in confusion. He didn't want to know why she was there, not yet. It was something he could figure out in the morning.

"Shojubo," Ayuto said. "There is something that you could do for me."

"What would that be?"

He couldn't see Ayuto's eyes creep down and to the right, nor could he see her lips purse in hesitation. "Would it be alright if I slept close to you? It's difficult to sleep on this futon straight on my stomach and ribs."

Shojubo opened his mouth but couldn't find an appropriate response; he silenced what would have been several clumsy stutters. He looked towards Ayuto, though she wasn't looking directly at him. She knew of his feelings, which he clumsily admitted to her, but he wasn't sure what she thought of him.

"Sure, why not," He replied. Ayuto nodded and shifted closer towards him, her head resting near his shoulder while her left arm draped over his collarbone. Part of her chest was pressed against his, alleviating most of the pressure that was annoying her earlier. Shojubo could feel himself blush, though Ayuto appeared far more composed. In addition to appearing more composed, she also seemed even sleepier. "Are you tired?"

"I haven't slept since we got back here," She replied. "A doctor in town treated my injuries and bandaged by body. It's been half a day since the fight." Her ebony hair brushed against his cheek, tickling slightly. The ivory-skinned arm over his upper chest was warm.

Shojubo nodded and laid his head back. It was late in the afternoon if Ayuto was correct. He supposed he could skip dinner, as he wasn't feeling particularly hungry. Parts of his body, mostly his lower back, still ached from the battle. The pains wracking him served as a warning, one that said to either improve as a warrior or abandon that path.

"Thanks for the story earlier, Ayuto," Shojubo said. "I need to learn to fight on my own if I'm going to be of any use in battle. You, Ashitaka, and San won't be with me much longer once we're done with the emperor."

Shojubo's eyes were about to close, just as Ayuto's were as she seemed to sleep deeply. Her breathing was slow and light as it usually was when she slept. Before his own could shut, he heard what sounded like a small sigh from Ayuto.

"I wish I could be," She mumbled.


	18. Chapter 18

**This chapter should have been posted two days ago but then I had problems with my skin. Thank you for all you have done to make this story and I thank BlackSabbath4Ever for helping me write this chapter. Next chapter will see them arrive at the Shogun's palace with some trouble from the Emperor's own agents.**

XXX

San sat to Ashitaka's right as she glared her burning eyes at Lady Eboshi. They were in a room which Eboshi rented shortly after killing the demon, located on the ground floor of the same inn where the other four were staying. Her rifle leaned by the door. It was unloaded but the bullets always remained within an arm's reach. Ashitaka's eyes moved between San and Lady Eboshi unnervingly. Lady Eboshi was calm, a slight smile on her face, while San made no effort to hide her glower. Eboshi explained why she was in the town as they returned to the inn: she was off to meet the shogun to try and keep the emperor from further shaking the political situation around Japan.

"Asano has been trying to gain the Emperor's approval for a while now," Lady Eboshi explained. "The Emperor would be less disapproving of an attack on Irontown if Asano were to become a strong ally with him. Fortunately, I still have a hold on the mountains near Irontown, and even if I can't mine in them anymore, having them in my territory gives me some leverage with the shogun."

Ashitaka nodded. Though he was unfamiliar with most of Japan's politics, he knew that the shogun was a warlord. Threatening a resource for metal would be something he wouldn't approve.

"It's by chance that I happened upon you four," Lady Eboshi said. "I've been faring well enough on my own, though there are some troubles I've encountered."

"The last thing we're going to do is help you," San interjected. Her eyes hadn't moved or blinked since she sat down and fixed her razor-sharp eyes on Eboshi.

"That's perfectly fine; I just thought I'd explain why I'm here. I'm just wondering what you plan to do when actually arriving at the capital. It isn't like you can simply ask the shogun for an audience." Her eyes slowly drifted to San and narrowed while her mouth curled into a grin. San's teeth grit behind her lips. "He only speaks with the nobility, and even then it requires a few weeks notice beforehand. They don't even allow peasants near the palace, much less girls who grew up in a forest."

Ashitaka could have sworn he heard San's teeth chip as her jaw tightened further. Eboshi and San may have no longer been enemies, but they certainly weren't what he would call friends. San's fists were clenched on her thighs and one of her eyes appeared to twitch.

"So you're saying that if we want to meet with this shogun, we have to go with you?" San questioned through clenched teeth.

"It's certainly your best chance. There's always the possibility of breaking into the palace, but I can't see you getting out if that was your plan of action."

San's neck muscles tightened and a vein on her head popped into visibility. Ashitaka tried to lay a hand on her shoulder, but she shot a glare towards him, making him recoil.

"Would it be fine if we accompanied you, Lady Eboshi?" Ashitaka asked, keeping his eyes on San. She looked like a barrel of gunpowder that was about to explode. He couldn't tell if Lady Eboshi's smile was wicked or amused; perhaps it lay between the two.

"That would be quite all right," Lady Eboshi replied. San's fingernails dug deep into her palms, causing stings like a rabbit's bite. "I can tell the palace guards that you..." Eboshi raised an eyebrow to Ashitaka, asking for exactly how many people were in the traveling group.

"Six," Ashitaka said, counting Toki and Kohroku.

"Six are my bodyguards," Lady Eboshi finished.

Actually, two of them are Kohroku and Toki, so you may only want to say four."

"Very well; that's probably best for everybody involved," Lady Eboshi stood from her cross-legged position and went to the door. "I'm sure you're all very tired, so I'll leave you be until morning. Its my intention to leave before midday tomorrow."

"We should be ready by then," Ashitaka assured with a nod.

Lady Eboshi smiled back and left the inn room. Ashitaka felt the deadly aura surrounding

San dissipate with Eboshi's departure. He embraced her nonetheless, as he knew that her feelings towards Eboshi were something he would likely never understand. The two spent no less than fifteen years hating each other and, once San was old enough to hold a spear, took every chance to end the other's life. San returned Ashitaka's hug, though no less than three times as crushing as his own.

"I'm going to wake the others up," San said as she released her hold. Ashitaka nodded and headed out of the room ahead of her. He had to check their supplies and tie their bags to Yakul's saddle before heading out again.

Meanwhile, San first checked Toki and Kohroku's room and found that they were already awake and ready to head out. She moved on to Ayuto and Shojubo's room and tapped the door. There was no answer after ten seconds, so she tried again and received the same result. Both were hurt and she didn't blame them for staying asleep. Regardless, she needed to tell them the slight change of plans. The door slid open to reveal both still asleep. San was surprised to see Shojubo's arm wrapped around Ayuto while her head rested against his chest, both resting peacefully in the morning sunlight. Just as San was about to shut the door, Ayuto's left eye shot open and met San's uninterested gaze. Her body tensed up and became motionless, though San wasn't sure why.

"Are you going to be up soon?" San asked.

"Yes," Ayuto replied, opening her other eye. "I'll wake up Shojubo in a minute."

"You're well enough to travel?"

Ayuto nodded. Satisfied with the answer, San slid the door shut and went to find Ashitaka. Once she was sure San was gone, Ayuto sighed and lay her head back down, this time on Shojubo's shoulder. The pain which ached her back had healed well enough in the night. She wasn't sure how badly Shojubo's wounds were hurting him but she was confident he would be able to power through them, if they remained a bother. He was stronger than she gave him credit for, having strengthened his body through years of farmwork.

"If he could refine his martial prowess, he would make for a good warrior," Ayuto muttered.

"Hm?" Shojubo groaned as he began to stir. Ayuto shifted back as Shojubo blinked and rubbed his eyes, wiping away dried crust which developed overnight. He pushed himself up to prepare for the day. His shoulders rotated back and forth in their sockets as he awoke his body. A remaining sense of pain stung his back, though the bruises and aches weren't something he'd allow to slow him.

Last night seemed like an odd dream. He remembered Ayuto asking if she could sleep by him; he saw her sitting next to him as he awoke but he wasn't sure if he trusted his eyes. It was something he didn't think should be a big deal, but he could remember Ayuto's hands and fingers sliding over his chest and abdomen several times throughout the night. She said something as she was falling asleep that caught his attention.

_I wish I could be_.

He strained his mind trying to remember what led to her saying those words. They were discussing his talent as a fighter, his lack of situational awareness when his opponent gained the upper hand, and how he should learn to fight alone. What did she mean when she said that?

"Shojubo," Ayuto said a third time. "We have to get going soon."

"Good morning to you too," Shojubo mumbled. He stood up and found his tunic folded on a low table. As he put it on, hiding his bandages, he remembered that Lady Eboshi arrived and helped kill the demon. Perhaps her presence caused a change in plans. Still groggy, he lifted his kanabo onto his shoulder, shifting it to a slightly more comfortable position. Its weight reminded him of its deadliness. Though he hadn't used it in a long while, something he was thankful for, he could remember each blow dealt using the giant club. Carrying during the fight against the river demon would have hindered him; he couldn't imagine a situation when he could have used it during the battle.

The two made their way down the hall and to the stairs. Ashitaka would be waiting with Yakul, probably atop the saddle with San in front.

"What do you plan to do once this is all done?" Ayuto asked suddenly as they descended the steps.

"I'm probably just going to head home," Shojubo replied with a shrug. "Honestly, the reasons I joined were to help Lady Eboshi and to get away from the farm for a bit. Now that Eboshi looks like she has things under control, I just want to see this through to the end. There isn't much reason for me to continue adventuring after this, is there? Things are becoming heated between the daimyos, so a war may break out, and I don't want to get caught in that. This sort of lifestyle isn't like what old tales make them seem. They seem to leave out the boring walks. What about you? Once the Emperor has been dealt with, or at least placed under control, is there really any reason for you to keep traveling?"

"I suppose not," Ayuto replied. She always planned to hide somewhere once she dealt with the Emperor, one way or another. Her name and face were known by a few daimyo and the samurai who served them. The noteriety which hung over her head didn't spread to peasants, though she didn't want to take chances and stumble into a region owned by somebody who wanted her dead. "What was your life like before you began traveling with the others?"

"Peaceful, if not a bit boring," Shojubo answered truthfully. "Still, I think I'd choose that life over one of adventuring... at least until I get bored of it again, anyway." He added with a grin.

"It sounds nice," Ayuto muttered. There was a question she had in mind, one which had been floating around for a while, though she didn't know when or even if she should ask it. If she was going to ask, now was the time. In a voice which was disguised in a perfect mask of indifference, she asked, "Do you think I could live with you?"

Shojubo, his foot on the last step of the stairs, jerked his head towards her with widened eyes. Ayuto's stoic demeanor didn't waver. She waited patiently for an answer, having brought their walk to the stables to a sudden halt.

"What? Why would you want to... I mean, I'm not opposed, but... why?" Shojubo fumbled. His fingers couldn't decide whether to scratch his head, point at himself, point at Ayuto, or remain in place.

Ayuto took in a deep breath and formed what she wanted to say piece by piece. With her head raised, she confidently replied, "Shojubo, when I first met you, I must admit I didn't think much of you. I thought you were actually rather weak and foolish. Having spent some time with you, these past days and weeks, I think I was wrong. You're quite strong and smart, especially for a boy who grew up on a farm. Not only that, but you're kind and willing to help others for no reward, even if your life is on the line. There's another trait you have which I admire: you're trustworthy. Throughout my travels, I spent most of my time avoiding people, and even now I can count on one hand the number of people I truly trust. Once this is all done, I have nowhere to go in mind. Originally, I was going to go hide somewhere, perhaps in the forest like San, but that's not a life I can honestly say I desire. The life you plan on leading, even if you find it dull at times, is peaceful. It's something I want to experience. Plus... I would be able to spend that time with you."

Shojubo snapped his gaping jaw shut. He scratched behind his ear as he considered Ayuto's request. She waited with a calm expression which didn't reveal any emotion. After almost a minute of silence, Shojubo replied, "Give me some time to think about it. I can't make a decision like this so soon."

"I understand," Ayuto said as she continued down the hall.


	19. Chapter 19

**I adore all the attention this story has been given and the help of BlackSabbath4Ever. It fills me with the joy I never thought I could have. Please read and review. **

XXX

Ashitaka stood by Yakul, one hand on the red elk's saddle as he waited for Shojubo and Ayuto. The streets of Fuyuki were quiet, almost silent following the battle outside the walls. Most of the samurai under Yujiro Tanaka's command were wrapped in cloth and awaiting burial. Amongst them was their captain, who managed to cling to life until he was carried through the gates. Those who survived the battle were quiet in their separate rooms. Their packed quarters felt hauntingly empty. At night, the roar of the draconic demon and the vision of the spikes lining its mouth caused them to wake, some screaming, others with a loud gasp as cold sweat coated their bodies.

Next to Ashitaka, sitting on a flat rock, San was cracking her knuckles one by one. Small yet audible cracks popped as each finger snapped. Her eyes were closed in meditation as she calmed her mind. Ashitaka managed to further convince her that having Eboshi along was the best thing for them. He reminded her that it was the Emperor who demanded the Forest Spirit's head and that he had as much to do with the forest's destruction as Jigo, Eboshi, and the other humans who she fought. She didn't want to slow the group with arguments which would be useless at best and turn violent as worst.

Ayuto and Shojubo arrived to the barren streets. Neither were surprised by the silence throughout town, an uneasy quiet which allowed the wind to sing its song without being interrupted. Though they were saved from possible annihilation, the loss of life was staggering and drained the townspeople's bright moods to a dull, bleak grey. Shojubo was thankful that he scarcely saw the faces of those slaughtered during the battle. What few glimpses he caught were those of men who realized death was standing with its scythe raised and they couldn't stop its descent. He wondered what went through Ashitaka, San, and Ayuto's minds when they recalled the faces of those they killed or the dead they saw, if they even remembered them at all. Ashitaka waved them a greeting; Shojubo returned it while Ayuto walked to them.

"Where's Lady Eboshi?" She asked.

"She's preparing her things," Ashitaka answered. "We leave tomorrow at midday, at the very latest. Eboshi may want to leave as early as today."

"You're correct, Ashitaka," Lady Eboshi called from an intersecting road. Her rifle was in one hand while a bag carrying her personal items hanged over her shoulder. "I'm afraid that we need to make haste and leave this town at once." Her usual confident smile was gone from her face.

"What's the hurry?" Shojubo asked.

"The Emperor has several agents arriving here soon," She explained. "I was informed by the region's daimyo when I asked for access. He didn't mention that the men being sent were trained killers."

Everybody in the group tensed at the revelation. San's head shot up when she heard what Eboshi said.

"How do you know he's sending assassins?" Ayuto asked.

"A messenger from his palace arrived at the place I was lodging just as I got back. He handed me a letter with more details about the men the Emperor is sending. There are at least seven, each born from a samurai clan. We must hurry if we want to leave before they arrive."

The four gave each other the same glance and knew what they were thinking: they were leaving as soon as possible.

"I'll go get Toki and Kohroku," Ashitaka said. He walked back to the inn with a brisk stride. They were still eating breakfast and weren't expecting the frantic knocks on their door. Toki's eyes widened at the news. Behind her, Kohroku stifled a gasp, catching the air in his throat. Ashitaka apologized for the sudden news.

"Don't be sorry about it," Toki reassured with a hint of a smile. "It's a good thing you found out as soon as you did. Come on, Kohroku, let's hurry up and get our stuff."

Ashitaka was already back at the stables by the time Kohroku and Toki came down. His bow was over one shoulder. San's spear, which was usually kept hanging in a pair of straps attached to Yakul's saddle, was in her tight grip. Ayuto's eyes shifted around town, watching windows and doorways. Shojubo leaned against the stable wall. Lady Eboshi smiled at the sight of Toki and Kohroku's arrival. The two were shocked to see her in town, though neither were surprised that she was taking the initiative and tackling her problems head-on.

"We're going to have to push ourselves," Lady Eboshi said. "The path to the capital is well guarded, so we won't have to worry about getting attacked, at least by anyone who the Emperor hasn't hired."

Everyone nodded and understood. The rest of the forthcoming journey was going to the trip until now seem like a stroll by the river. Despite the impending trial, there was a spark in their eyes, one which made Ayuto's normally listless eyes glint, which made San's wolf-like eyes burn, which made Ashitaka's calm eyes piercing, which made Shojubo's curious and inexperienced eyes glare with the confidence of a decades-old general. Ashitaka offered Toki and Kohroku to ride atop Yakul. Neither were as well conditioned as the others. They accepted the offer with relieved smiles which radiated a hint of anticipation. Both could see the newfound determination in the four's eyes. Stopping now was not an option and there was no path to which they could turn back. There was only one destination they were looking towards: the Shogun's palace in Kyoto. Even if they could travel on the protected roads, they would need to hunt for food, keep the returning path ingrained in their memories, and keep an eye out for the seven assassins.

For thirty days, they began their march at the first sight of the eastern glow. Their bodies did not rest until the darkest point of night. The journey was harsh on their bodies. Dark circles surrounded their eyes; Shojubo in particular, who was not used to such lack of sleep, had eyes which resembled a raccoon's black-furred face. Calluses and sores scarred their feet. Each day challenged them with the desire to return home; it was never too late to turn back. Every day, they battled that malicious wish which grew in strength every dawn.

Over the course of the thirty-days journey, the group was visited by six men, each with a blade intended for their throats, a knife built to spill their blood. The first arrived after three days, dressed in the fashion of an average peddler. His wares concealed a long knife that he intended to thrust in rapid succession. San's eyes, which approached her brothers' supernatural sight, was quick to notice his hand reach for the knife's handle. Her spear was drawn first and thrust into the assassin's right bicep. In a half second, Ashitaka had his bow drawn, Shojubo had a firm grip on his kanabo, Ayuto was twirling her daggers between her fingers, and Lady Eboshi had the barrel of her gun traiend between the assassin's eyes. At Ashitaka's request, he was spared, relieved of his weapons, and given a warning before being let go. They requested he find his allies and implore they abandon their task.

Their second attacker arrived five days later. Donned in the armor his father once wore, his helmet concealed his face and his body was protected by metal plates and thick black leather. Ayuto was able to determine that he was one of the seven assassins. As usual, she was traveling with the group but not alongside them, and she was suspicious of the samurai who was following their trail. He remained a half mile away from the group as he walked in their footprints. It wasn't until night fell that he picked up his pace. That was when Ayuto emerged from the forest, descending a slope as she crept like a viper behind a mouse. Her prey was far more dangerous than a mouse, but he died just the same when her twin blades pierced his neck, severing both the carotid and jugular.

The third and fourth arrived at the same time, approaching on the sixteenth day. They were waiting in a village which sat on the group's path. One was armed with a bow, the other only his katana. While the bowman readied his shots from inside a terrified peasant's hut, the swordsman waited around the corner. Their strategy was simple: the swordsman would cut down San and Shojubo, whose weapons had a reach advantage, while the archer shot Ashitaka. Ayuto would be easy prey and Eboshi would have no time to carefully aim her bulky rifle. Shojubo and Eboshi both knew something was wrong when they caught glimpse of the swordsman. As the rest were restocking their supplies, they noticed him leaning against the hut's wall. Each knew that no ordinary peasant would be wielding a katana. Ashitaka and San were informed and the two immediately took action. San snuck into the hut and impaled the archer, her spearhead peeking out the window as it burst through his chest, while Ashitaka shot the swordsman's thighs. Like the original assassin, they spared the swordsman (who was fortunate that the village had a doctor).

The fifth assassin made his play only the next day. Of the seven, he was the least experienced and had only fought sparring matches in the past. He rode a chestnut steed and armed himself with a longbow. His attack was swift, charging from the edge of the thick forest as the early dawn began, an arrow released every five seconds. Ashitaka couldn't match the blinding volley. Shojubo and Ayuto helped defend Toki and Kohroku while San dodged the shots. She was the assassin's main target, as her spear put him at a disadvantage should he charge with his sword. As quickly as his attack began, however, Lady Eboshi put an end to it. Her rifle was primed, aimed, and awaiting the clack of the flint. It came with a small click which unleashed a roar of smoke and fire. Blood and flesh splattered a nearby tree trunk as the lifeless assassin hit the ground.

The sixth and final assassin they encountered on the road was met near a large port town, one day before they would reach the capital. They were stopping for food since they ran out several days ago. Hunting wasn't pulling in enough food; San guessed that the humans in the area hunted most of the nearby prey. While in the town, Lady Eboshi pointed out a ship unlike any the others had seen before. Its flag was unfamiliar, a white background behind a blue cross, and the men aboard the ship had yellow hair and blue eyes. After Eboshi explained that it belonged to traders from far across the ocean, she implored they hurry and return to their business at hand. That was when the assassin made his first strike. He didn't count on San's senses to thwart his plan as quickly as they did. Her ears perked when she heard the quiet, high-pitched whistle of what she initially believed was an arrow. She batted away at the direction of the sound and found a dart stuck in her spear. Though he was fast, the would-be killer wasn't fast enough in replacing the lid of the barrel he chose as a hiding place. His speed was useless when San impaled the barrel and pierced his chest. Red blood mixed with the blue ocean water as it trickled off the pier.

The capital of Japan, Kyoto, was the largest city in the nation. Nestled upon the flat land between mountains, it housed both the emperor and shogun. Lady Eboshi had no trouble getting the others into the city without having too many questions asked, though she knew people would be watching the newcomers. San did her best to imagine that the people staring at her didn't exist. One thousand men and women were at least glancing at them at a time. They couldn't let that bother them. Their goal was the shogun's palace, located across town with a sea of people and structures between them.


	20. Chapter 20

**Happy holidays everyone and thank you BlackSabbath4Ever for helping me write this chapter. I have to work this Christmas on Fanfiction like a job so please be on a lookout for any stories that updated on the same day. **

XXX

"Here we are," Lady Eboshi announced as the group arrived at a high stone wall. "This is the castle of the shogunate; part of it, at least. The rest is beyond the outer wall."

Shojubo felt his draw drop a little when he gazed at the structures behind the wall. Upon a small hill stood the castle which housed the shogun, his family, their servants, and their guests. It was nestled behind an inner wall which was slightly taller than the preliminary barrier. Inside the walls were barracks, a training area with wooden dummies and archery targets, a sprawling garden with a pond, stables, an armorsmith, a weaponsmith, and a small forest of cherry trees. He thought of it as a city within a city. The shogunate castle, which housed no less than five hundred men, dwarfed many of the nation's villages. Warriors wandered the grounds and ramparts. Archers sat in watchtowers which provided a complete overlook of the capital. Gazing at the towering structures gave Shojubo a headache. They seemed higher than mountain peaks and could touch the sky, yet all the while there were men who climbed onto them and thought little of how high they stood. How and for how long the structures were built made his head spin again.

"How long is it going to take before we can get in here?" Toki asked. "There's no way we can just walk inside... can we?"

"I sent notice before I left, though I've yet to receive a response," Lady Eboshi replied. "Until then, we'll be staying at a boarding house I tend to visit during my trips here; it's where the shogun's response will arrive."

The distant western sun was painting the dark blue sky a pale orange and pink gradient. Lady Eboshi knew that the shogun's response wouldn't arrive until tomorrow evening, and that was at the earliest. She rented four rooms for the group and bade them goodnight. Before going to her room, she informed them of when their permit to enter the shogun's castle would arrive.

"We're going to be here until tomorrow night, possibly later," she said. "I'd get comfortable around the capital if I were you."

Most of the others didn't seem to mind the rest the down period. It was a chance for them to rest and recover from the long travel period. The only one who wasn't relieved was San. Her choices were to either cramp herself in a small room or immerse herself with a crowd of humans; the disdain she held was a long way from fading.

Shojubo was thankful to reach his room without tripping over himself. The self-imposed forced marches left his bones and muscles in agony. He was sure his soldes toughened themselves to the point that a knife would have difficulty cutting them. Ayuto, who was sharing the room, arrived and appeared similarly disheveled. Keeping up with the group while keeping away left her drained. Her eyes seemed distant and blank, unaware of where she was going as she dropped onto her knees and onto the futon.

"You too, huh?" Shojubo mumbled before exhaling a heavy sigh. Ayuto's response was a small shift with her head which resembled a nod. A small grin formed on Shojubo's face. He felt the thousand pains in his body melt into the bed, draining as he lay still with heavy breaths. His legs stretched as far as they could. They felt loose as he bent and outstretched them, a relieving feeling he welcomed. Next to him, Ayuto pushed herself up and bounced slightly as she dropped onto her rear. She snapped her head back and cleared most of the hair covering her face. Although they had been traveling together for what must have been months, it was the first time since the day they met that Shojubo truly paid attention to Ayuto's appearance. A lithe, jet-haired woman with scarlet lips and relaxed hessonite-colored eyes.

"Is there something you wanted to say?" Ayuto asked. Shojubo's mind returned to its present surroundings as he realized that he had been gazing at her for a while.

"No, nothing," he murmured. It was obvious to him that she didn't believe what he said, judging by how she glanced away before returning her eyes to his. The lie didn't seem to bother her as she removed her boots and set them aside. Her toes were covered in white, rough calluses, harmless but somewhat uncomfortable. Shojubo kicked off his shoes and heard his toes make a snap when they stretched. Each tense muscle and tendon loosened as his body relaxed.

"Shojubo," Ayuto said as they both lay down, she on her front and Shojubo on his back. "I want to thank you again."

"What? For the farm after this is done?" He asked.

"Yes; it struck me now that we're at the capitol that this is ending soon. I may be able to bring my kin some amount of justice and find myself some closure. It's like stepping into a river and washing mud off of my body."

Shojubo's small grin widened to a warm smile. "Well, I'm happy to know you feel that way." He turned to face her, and at the sight of her face, his eyes widened.

Upon Ayuto's snow-colored face was a smile. Shojubo couldn't remember the last time, if ever, he saw Ayuto smile. It radiated light from her pale skin, like the dim moonlight beneath a winter's full moon. Her normally dim eyes were twinkling like stars. She could tell Shojubo was surprised at her expression, though that only widened her smile. They silent for several moments before Ayuto's hand slid to Shojubo's forearm. He felt the warmth of her hands and met it with his own. For a long while, they lay with their hands together, ridding their bodies of all their aches as the sun dipped below the mountains and let night enter.

Eventually, the silence was broken by Shojubo.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" he asked. "I'm feeling a bit hungry."

Ayuto nodded silently, still smiling, and their hands slipped apart.

The two wasted no time in putting on their footwear. They were brisk as they walked downstairs and ventured into the streets of Kyoto. Lights from burning lanterns brightened the streets, which were brimming with people whose gossip and conversations provided the city with a unique nightly music. Shojubo had never seen so many people in one place; he could see over two hundred faces in the street. Ayuto had been in several large towns and smaller cities, though none compared to Kyoto.

They walked through the crowd, easing their way past the tightly packed groups that were standing outside shops and hanging around their homes. Shojubo felt like running through the city to see how many people there were but he matched Ayuto's pace. She was in no hurry, her walk slow as though she were admiring the sights and ingraining them so she wouldn't forget how the buildings looked like, what the people were saying, and what the scent of the open-air restaurants smelled like. Several women wearing silken dresses eyed Ayuto with pitying glances. Her outfit was ragged, torn, and dirty. Ayuto didn't care or didn't notice the looks; Shojubo assumed it was the former.

The pair stopped at a restaurant marked "Setsugou" after strolling around town for a half hour. There were twenty tables inside, thirteen of which were occupied, and six outside chairs in front of a counter. None of the outside seats were taken, so Ayuto and Shojubo took the closest two. They had some money leftover, enough to order several noodle bowls if they wanted. Neither were so hungry as to order multiple bowls. Ayuto ordered a plain bowl of noodles in beef soup. Shojubo's ramen bowl was more elaborate, seeped in chicken broth and mixed with vegetables, an egg, and chunks of meat.

"I've never tried this stuff before, but some of the merchants who pass through my village have spoken about it," Shojubo said as they waited for their meals. "They said it's a welcome meal after eating old bread and dried meat."

"Your home sees traders often?" Ayuto asked.

"It's in the path of a popular route," He replied. "Most pass through then follow a path that avoids the forest near Irontown. I don't think that Ashitaka and the others used the same trail, though; they must have come from off the road."

"Maybe."

"Did your home place ever see outsiders?"

"Not really," Ayuto replied. "Before we were attacked, we didn't see many outsiders. There would be the odd traveler or even a samurai. Nobody stayed for long. I think the others weren't fond of outsiders but I'm not sure why. My father would tell me to stay away from strangers and went out of his way to avoid them. Maybe it was just him; I couldn't tell you what the other villagers thought.

"Was this before all of the tension between the nobles?"

"It might have been. I'm not sure when this land's problems began."

The two's food arrived several minutes later. A savory scent drifted from Ayuto's bowl, filled with a rich tan broth that soaked soft noodles. Shojubo's was less fragrant but more full. His bowl was brimming with a golden chicken broth. Atop a pile of noodles, chicken fillets, and assorted vegetables was a cooked egg. They thanked the server and grabbed the provided wooden chopsticks. Ayuto was slow as she ate while Shojubo scarfed mouthfuls every time his chopsticks came up with food. He almost done before Ayuto was halfway through.

Once they finished, they left the bowls at the counter and returned to wandering the streets. They had no clear idea of where they were going or what they were going to do. Shojubo, sick of traveling, was wondering if there was a place they could go to relax. The inn room was decent but he wanted to be able to walk around without getting dirt on his feet, having to worry about food supplies, find his arms covered in sweat, or feel his legs ache and burn with every step. As they were walking, and earlier in the night, Shojubo noticed that Ayuto had a faint smile. He wasn't sure what she was thinking about or where her eyes were looking. Those didn't matter to him; her smile, small as it was, reflected a joyful feeling he'd never seen her emit in their past travels.

They finally stopped at a bridge. The narrow river below flowed slow; neither Ayuto or Shojubo would have noticed from where they were standing were it not for the lilies floating with the current. Paper lanterns from nearby buildings cast an orange and yellow glow over the area. People nonchalantly walked by the two as they gazed at the peaceful river. Neither said a word as they lost themselves in the reflected world on the river's surface.

It was impossible for Ayuto or Shojubo to know that somebody invaded their room while they were away. This killer, the seventh of the men who were tasked with assassination, managed to enter a neglected window while the others were away. His targets numbered seven though only four were at the inn. He decided to wait for the others to return; he didn't want them to discover their friends' corpses and become alarmed. The man was thirty-four, his hair thick and long, covering his tanned face and piercing brown eyes. Sporting wide shoulders and thick limbs, he was a man who was said to be able to lift a horse onto his shoulders. Anaguma was his name. Near his hands were knives, clean steel which had slain several sleeping men in the past, though not a trace of their crimes shown on their faultless blades.

San did notice Anaguma's arrival, though she did not know who he was or his intent. She didn't think it strange for a human to walk past her room's door, nor did she find his scent odd, nor did she think he was trying to be quiet with his steps. It was just another resident. Ashitaka was out, though San wasn't sure where he had gone. He said he was going around the city for a while to see what it was like and asked if she wanted to join him. Though he knew she would say no, which she did, he wondered if there was any curiosity within her that overrode her disdain for people.

Anaguma's eyes slithered around the room, searching for a place where he could hide. There was little in the room: a dresser, two futons which had been placed together, a low table, and a few cushions were the only bits of furniture in the room. The nearby rooms were occupied. He left the room and made his way downstairs. On his way, he passed a tall woman, her face made pale by white makeup, and one sleeve of her kimono folded. Her appearance easily matched that of one of his targets. That was the fifth; only three remained until he work could begin. Until they arrived, he would wait on the ground floor for the other three.

Ayuto and Shojubo returned to the inn several hours after they left. The sky was at its darkest point, the midnight hours which began the next day. Ashitaka arrived two hours before and was sleeping next to San. As the pair were returning to their room, arms interlocked, Ayuto's faint smile suddenly vanished when she noticed their door ajar. Anaguma forgot to close door once he left.

"Do remember closing the door?" she asked Shojubo.

"I don't think I'd remember something like that from a few hours ago," he replied. "Maybe I did; I don't know."

"I'm going to ask the others and see if they went inside for some reason."

"Alright."

Ayuto turned and descended the flight of stairs and approached San and Ashitaka's room. While she and Shojubo were located on the top floor, everyone else was one floor below. As her hand reached for the door, she heard what sounded like a floorboard creak. In a split second, she looked up and saw a hulking figure with one arm outstretched towards her. Her hands instinctively shot up to protect her neck and head. Sure enough, there was a sharp pain in her left arm. A steel blade cut her forearm and buried an inch deep into her flesh. She didn't want to make the same mistake Shojubo made against the demon or the one she made when fighting the samurai in the watchtower.

She yanked the knife from her arm, ignoring the sting and pouring blood, and charged at her attacker. Anaguma easily parried her strike and returned with one of his own. Ayuto saw the coming blade and dodged to the left. Her arm went under his, the knife in hand trained on his neck, but he managed to duck. They began exchanging strikes, parrying, blocking, and dodging as they failed to hit one another. While Anaguma easily deflected the incoming blows, Ayuto had to use her speed to avoid her foe's strikes. The tree that was Anaguma was encircled by Ayuto's snake-like movements as she twisted and bended around his attacks. Their skirmish forced Ayuto's back to the wall, her eyes widening as the knife was thrust at her eye. Despite the stinging it still felt, Ayuto was able to block the strike with her left arm, jamming her palm in Anaguma's elbow joint. A burst of strength from Anaguma forced her arm back and her elbow hit the wall. As she tried to stab him, Anaguma grabbed her right wrist.

The two struggled as they fought to pierce the other. Ayuto had a leverage advantage, the only thing saving her from the unforgiving edge of Anaguma's blade. Her teeth grit as her elbow dug into the wooden wall. Anaguma adjusted his stance, leaning over so his body weight pressed on Ayuto's arms. She felt her right arm push back as her wrist was crushed in a vice grip. The knife's tip started inching its way towards her face, the gap between skin and steel closing as her strength waned.

"Ayuto!" Shojubo's voice called. She heard it ring in her ears. It was a desperate cry lined with grief and sorrow, a harrowing wail that a woe-filled man might make at his wife's deathbed once she passed. That was what made her eyes widen and her teeth bare. Her right leg kicked back against the wall, driving her knee into Anaguma's groin. The pragmatic attack caused her to lose her balance and collapse, but it caused the broad-shouldered assassin to bellow in pain and stagger. No time was wasted by Ayuto as she scurried to her feet and stabbed Anaguma's right arm. Blood leaked from the laceration, a deep cut which severed a tendon which helped his hand grip his knife. Another grunt escaped his lips as the dagger fell. Like a lightning flash, Ayuto kicked the hunched over killer in the nose, cracking the bone and making a popping sound which accompanied the flying blood droplets. In the same motion, Ayuto grabbed Anaguma's fallen knife.

A blade in each hand. It was a familiar fighting style. When she wasn't caught off guard, Ayuto could square off against multiple foes at once, dancing around their strikes as she delivered her own. Facing a lone enemy was no different. Anaguma reached for another knife as he regained his composure. He wasn't fast enough to grab the handle or counter the incoming attack.

Ayuto was a hurricane landing upon a flimsy house of shingles. Ten strikes were delivered in two seconds: four stabs in the abdomen, two slashes of the neck, simultaneous thrusts into the side, a downwards cut on the left cheek, and a roundhouse kick which struck the left temple. Anaguma didn't groan or wheeze. His body wouldn't allow that small amount of energy to be wasted. It was trying to preserve itself, extend the quickly fading life which Ayuto intended to extinguish.

There was a brief pause after the first barrage. It was while Ayuto was regaining her stance following the kick and Anaguma was spinning, his balance destroyed by what felt like a stone thrown by a gale. Their eyes met briefly. Anaguma's showed shock and fear, together mixed to form a rejection of the current situation. Ayuto's eyes glowed with a regained fire, fury which had left her after a near-death experience but was now back threefold. She had reached her first goal: the capital of Japan, the palace of the shogun. Now there was a second goal and he had a name.

The second flurry lasted ten seconds, during which Ayuto delivered seventy attacks, sixty three of which any man could see as fatal. She sliced his legs and twirled around to carve his back. A bloody tapestry decorated the walls while a crimson puddle formed on the floor. No sound drifted from the dead assassin's mouth as his spine was cut by his own blades. Ayuto was prepared for a third whirlwind but managed to stop herself. Adrenaline coursed through her fast-flowing blood. Her muscles were tense. Sweat glistened on her arms, forehead, and trickled down her cheeks.

A dull thud echoed in Ayuto's ears as Anaguma's carcass hit the wooden floor. It was the only sound she could hear for a while. She didn't hear the nearby doors sliding open as several inn guests, including Ashitaka, San, Toki, Kohroku, and Lady Eboshi, stepped out of their rooms to investigate the ruckus. Many mouths hung agape. Ayuto still didn't notice them. Her body felt weak, her eyes only saw the blood-drenched body and hall. The dual knives in her hand were perfectly still.

"Ayuto!" Shojubo called. His voice caused her head to snap up towards the stairs she earlier descended. He was hurrying down them now, though he stopped and froze when he saw the unrecognizable corpse.

Ayuto was confused when she saw Shojubo come down the stairs. Hadn't he called her out earlier? He must have been nearby. His voice was as clear as a rifle shot in a silent room, as loud as a thunderclap over a calm ocean. She turned her gaze to him. Slowly, the red tint melted, the other guests came into view, and her calm gaze returned. The two knives dropped out of her hands as she walked over the assassin's lifeless cadaver, stepping through the bloody puddle as easily as rain water. Shojubo felt a cold sense of fear run up his spine as the bloodstained girl approached him. However, he did not turn away or step back. Her arms wrapped around him as his did around her.

"What happened?" he asked in a whisper.

"I'll explain later," Ayuto replied. "Let's go to sleep first; I wish to rest before somebody comes to ask about this incident." Shojubo nodded and let go of her. They went back to their rooms, silent as they lay down on their futons. Neither were bothered by the blood on their clothes, Shojubo having gained his during their hug. He was awake longer than she, his eyes open to see if she was at all bothered during the night. She didn't appear shaken. Not once did she awake in the night. That was comfort enough for Shojubo to fall asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

**I know last time I sent a document, I said this should be the last chapter. I was wrong. However, I can guarantee that the next one will be the last, final, undisputed closing of the story. I'm thinking of making it an epilogue of sorts. Anyway, here is the next chapter. And of course I can thank BlackSabbath4Ever giving me this chapter.**

XXX

Ashitaka and San waited outside the city police's headquarters, a two story tall structure where the capital's guards reported to when their patrols began and ended. Inside, Ayuto was being questioned by a captain; Shojubo was with her but wasn't asked anything. Anaguma was a wanted criminal, his crimes to be pardoned if he could successfully dispatch of Lady Eboshi and her party, and most cases wouldn't see his murderer possibly being convicted. It was the brutality of Ayuto's killing that made the guards question her. Several dozen wounds inflicted in less than two minutes, a spectacular display of savagery which made several long-time officers take a step away from Ayuto when they found her.

She was brought in late in the night, though their questioning didn't begin until morning. Ayuto spent the night sleeping on a cold stone floor, patiently waiting for the sun to rise. They spoke with her for three hours. Among their questions were where she came from, why she came to Kyoto, and why she slaughtered Anaguma in the manner she chose. While they understood it was in self-defence, they had never seen such a callous killing done out of protection.

"I spent a long time traveling to reach this place," she answered. "There was no way I was going to let this man make it all for naught."

It was an answer which her interrogators found satisfactory; one man, a middle-aged man with balding black hair and a deep scar on his forehead, had fought several battles when he was younger. He sympathized with Ayuto when she spoke about fighting to survive. Though they were still apprehensive, they decided to let her go without restriction. They secretly decided that the guards should keep an eye on her in case of any further incidents.

As they left the building, Shojubo took a glance at Ayuto. Her smile was gone, replaced with the same cold stare she often wore. San sometimes had a similar face when they were near many humans. Shojubo used the same solution Ashitaka would to calm her down or reassure her: lay a hand on her shoulder. Ayuto's eyes widened for a half second. They returned to normal when she realized it was only Shojubo. A small smile made his face all the more alleviating, releasing some of the acrimony in her stare.

"Thanks for staying with me," Ayuto said as they exited.

"I'll always be close by," Shojubo said. He removed his hand from her shoulder once they caught glimpse of Ashitaka and San. Ashitaka waved them over.

"How'd things go?" He asked.

"Everything is fine; we shouldn't have any more problems," Ayuto replied. "What did the innkeeper say?"

"He doesn't blame us for anything, though that may be thanks to Eboshi speaking with him. We're not going to have to pay for anything. The man who attacked you, his body has already been removed."

"I see. Where are the others?"

"Waiting near the palace. Our meeting with the Shogun is in a few hours."

* * *

Dozens of eyes turned towards the Eboshi-led group of Ashitaka, San, Shojubo, and Ayuto. Toki and Kohroku ultimately decided to stay at the inn. They wanted a full day to relax and Eboshi saw no reason not to grant their request. Neither had an issue that only the Shogun could settle, nor had they much interest in the politics and schemes between the nobility. So long as they could lead peaceful lives in Irontown, they didn't see a need to complicate things.

San glared back at the staring humans. The last thing she was going to do was back down to their gazes, no matter how many people may look at her like a stain on fine silk. She was the only one in the group who brought a weapon; in fact, she brought both her spear and knife. Though the guards within the city were told that Ayuto was a potential danger, they were more concerned with the wide-eyed woman with unkempt brown hair. Ashitaka noticed their suspicious stares but didn't feel that San was as agitated as he thought.

Past gardens and small yet well-furnished houses they walked, not once pausing to admire the grandeur of the palace. They didn't want to stay longer than necessary. Eboshi needed more security for Irontown, mostly protection from Asano. The emperor would surely refuse her request no matter what she offered but the shogun was far more likely to listen. Ashitaka and San, both having set out for a similar purpose, were less likely to speak. Ayuto only wanted one thing, an intangible desire: who destroyed her hometown and why. Almost a decade of her life was dedicated towards finding those answers. Somebody had to know.

They finally stopped at the doors of the main castle. Shojubo's eyes looked skyward like the first time he saw the castle, though that was at a distance. It was like staring at the top of the tallest tree in the forest. He didn't notice that San was gazing up as well. There was nothing in the forest that matched the castle's towering height. She had to admit that humans were masters at creating marvelous structures. As impressive as their structures were, their glory didn't make her forget that they were made from the trees which the kodama made their homes, that they were made on areas where beasts may have once roamed until humans arrived.

Lady Eboshi approached the two men at the door and informed them who they were. Shojubo couldn't make out what they were saying. He saw one of the men nod and enter the castle, though he didn't come back out for another minute. Several words were exchanged between the two before Eboshi beckoned towards he and the others.

"Remember to address the shogun as 'My Lord'," she informed them just before entering. "If I bow to somebody, follow my lead; this includes you, San."

San's eyes narrowed and her nose wrinkled. She never understood human customs such as bowing. There was a heavy air around her that made the others feel like she wasn't going to be very courteous, a warning saying that she wasn't playing by the humans' rules. Eboshi could feel it but she was sure San wouldn't be troublesome. At her worst, she wouldn't speak when spoken to; she couldn't imagine the wolf-girl attacking anybody.

A pair of guards armored in hardened leather armor led the group while another two brought up the rear. They were armed with spears but were more prepared to use their swords in the hallways and rooms. Everyone, from the shogun's most trusted acquaintances to complete strangers, were accompanied by these four bodyguards when they were to meet him. Ayuto was already seeking weak points in their armor; she didn't have to look very hard. The back of their necks weren't covered by more than a leather strap and their hamstrings had zero protection. She wasn't planning on attacking unless they struck first. Years of fighting people like them developed a distrust similar to the one San felt towards almost all humans.

The group was led up eight flights of stairs. Nobody could catch a glimpse of what was on the floors they passed. San could smell no less than four dozen humans wandering the halls and resting in their rooms, though she noticed many their scents were masked something else. It was the smell of crushed flowers mixed together. She recognized the scent as one Eboshi would wear from time to time.

They finally stopped at the front of a room as large as a villager's home. There, the four guards flanked the door and gestured for them to enter. Lady Eboshi bowed in response; the others followed suit, though San's bow was little more than a nod. The door was opened for them, revealing the shogun, Japan's warlord and true leader.

He was an imposing man no less than six feet tall with shoulders as broad as an ox. His black hair reached past his shoulder blades and was kept in a high ponytail. Not a speck of hair was on his well-shaven face, save his thick eyebrows above two calm brown eyes. Red robes with golden dragons covered his musclebound body. In front of the cushion he was sitting on was a low table, upon which was a scroll from a lord further up north. According to the message, the nobleman was dealing with a possible revolt and required military support. The shogun decided to send a small group of samurai; no more than thirty would be needed to quell a peasant uprising. When he heard the door open, he raised his head and saw the group. One noblewoman and what appeared to be her four bodyguards. She was Lady Eboshi, a woman he had seen several times before. How many times he had met her before was lost to him but it was enough for him to recognize her face.

"Greetings, my lord," Lady Eboshi greeted a bow. The others emulated her greeting; this time, San's bow was closer to the others' motion.

"Lady Eboshi," the shogun greeted with a deep bow of his head. "Let's get on with our negotiations. According to the message you sent me, you need military support against Lord Asano."

"Yes, my lord. Here is the offer I'm presenting."

As Lady Eboshi and the shogun began their deliberation, Ayuto's eyes unconsciously drifted to the windows. She wondered why somebody who lived in a fortress such as a castle would put in windows. They were prime targets for archers to shoot their arrows through and made the structure more vulnerable. Then again, they were high enough to the point that maybe an archer wouldn't get a great shot. Shooting down at enemies wouldn't be a problem.

The sky outside was pale blue. Clouds were scattered throughout, a mess of what looked like white cotton on a soft blue landscape. What Lady Eboshi and the shogun were saying was lost to her. She didn't care about Irontown or the conflicts between Eboshi and Asano; she wasn't even sure of who the latter was or where he lived. There was one reason why she was there and she wouldn't receive that answer for at least an hour, perhaps more. Both Eboshi and the shogun's voices were little more than the droning of honey bees.

* * *

"Very well; I think this is an agreeable compromise," the shogun said. It was the closing statement of his and Eboshi's negotiation. They started off with Lady Eboshi promising the shogun free reign to mine in her surrounding mountains in exchange for two hundred samurai. San jumped in when she heard Eboshi's part of the deal. After a match between her shouting and Eboshi's calm speaking, Eboshi produced a map of her territory and drew up areas where the shogun could send miners and that San wouldn't have a problem sharing with humans. Ashitaka knew something like this was bound to happen but didn't want to interfere. His influence in San and Eboshi's personal conflict may have held things together for the moment, but he considered what might happen between the two if he wasn't around to speak with both sides. Working things out between the two, tumultuous as it may be, was what he saw as the best course of action. In the end, the shogun received the majority of what Eboshi offered and offered to send one hundred and twenty samurai.

"Thank you, my lord," Lady Eboshi said with a bow. She and the others were kneeling now, though San had leapt to her feet when Eboshi mentioned giving the forest to the shogun for his use. "At the very least, this will deter Lord Asano. His army has yet to recover from the last time he attacked. Now, I believe there was one other request I sent in my message."

"Yes, I remember. There was somebody who wished to speak with me; Ayuto, was the name, I believe."

"That would be me, my lord," Ayuto announced as she stood from her knees. The bodyguards in the room reached for their katanas when they saw her stand, but a hand wave from the shogun made them return to their upright position. Her eyes didn't move from the shogun. He could see they were calm but tingling in anticipation. His time was limited but he could spare a few minutes to speak with this girl. Despite the unkempt hair, dark rings around her eyes, and ragged clothes, there was a certain charm about her.

"Very well; what do you want to ask?"

"I'm sure you won't be able to remember this, but my hometown was destroyed almost ten years ago by samurai and I've been searching for whoever was responsible."

The shogun scratched his chin before saying, "I'm afraid that there have been so many settlements attacked and razed over the past decade that I cannot name them all by memory. Somebody bring me a map. If you point to where your village once stood, I may be able to tell you more."

One of the guards bowed and left the room. Ayuto returned to her kneeling position, her point having been made clear. Shojubo's eyes moved from her, to the shogun, and back. It was hard to discern what either was thinking. When he saw Ayuto stand, his heart rate jumped, fearing what the shogun might say towards somebody who wouldn't show him the respect to which he was accustomed. The other bodyguards kept their eyes on Ayuto. They were like statues, their gaze unmoving and their bodies as firm as a mountain. Ashitaka didn't feel any hostility from anyone else, though there was a lingering tension hanging in the air. San kept herself composed. She was more used to being around humans thanks to Ashitaka but remained alert when they were armed. Even if there only task was to protect the shogun, her hand was near her spear.

The bodyguard returned with a square map. It was five feet on each side and printed with fading black ink. Red text indicated forts and marching routes to pass the many mountains without wasting time or resources. Lines which separated territory were dashes; red dashed lines indicated a daimyo who was not yet loyal to the emperor.

"This is the most complete map we have," the bodyguard said. "It may be outdated, my lord, by about ten years. However, the newer maps do not have the same amount of detail."

"That should be fine," the shogun said. His bodyguard laid the map on the low table. "Come here, young lady."

Ayuto got to her feet once more; this time, the bodyguards didn't reach for their weapons. She kneeled in front of the low table and examined the map. It wasn't the first time she had seen one. When she first set out for the capital, she had to steal from merchants and samurai. One of the first things she acquired was a map.

The room fell silent as Ayuto studied the map. Her finger traced the borders as she traced her way back to where her village once stood. Following the roads and the names of towns, villages, and cities, she was able to determine her home's location. She stopped on a region far to the south. It didn't occur to her that her finger passed a red dashed line. Upon the map, the only thing she focused on was the small black dot and the name of her home village.

"This is it," Ayuto said. The shogun peered at where her finger was pointing and stroked his smooth chin.

"How long ago did you say this village was destroyed?" The shogun asked.

"Just over nine years ago."

The shogun nodded silently. Ayuto wouldn't have known what the red border meant, though he now understood why the village may have been destroyed. "Your home was located in the land of a disloyal nobleman. This map may be old, but that helps me better understand the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Ten years ago, the emperor decreed that we must further unite the island, be it by force or diplomacy. Many daimyo didn't want to swear loyalty to the emperor, so they were dealt with accordingly. It was the emperor who would tell me which territories belonged to enemy lords. Under my supervision, he would choose which settlements to lay siege to, though he also wanted to scare the nobles into swearing loyalty to him. To accomplish this, he would have villages razed. There's a chance that your village was one of those unfortunate to be in the emperor's sights."

Ayuto made no remark and didn't change her stoic expression as the shogun explained the destruction of her village. Simple bad luck was the cause. The emperor chose it on a whim and ordered it burned, its people slaughtered, so that he may strong-arm the ruling daimyo into submission. Her hand on the map clenched into a fist as she rested it on her thigh. Though she didn't show an outward expression of her feelings, the others in the room felt like she would explode if they moved or spoke. None could see her eyes, for her hair fell over it when she looked down at the map.

"If there any consolation, the emperor lost many of his own family and friends in an effort to unite the land. He is still nowhere near complete."

"Do you think that changes anything?" Ayuto asked emotionlessly as her fist raised over her head. The bodyguards reached for their swords. Their caution was unnecessary, however; her hand smashed the table. Though her hand bruised and felt broken, the physical pain felt like nothing. She shot a deadly glare at the shogun, her eyes welled with tears and her teeth grit to the point of almost cracking. "I don't care if he's suffered or not!"  
Her voice could be heard on the entire floor. The shogun's bodyguards kept their hands on their katanas. Shojubo recoiled at the sound of her fist smashing the table and almost hopped when she shouted. Lady Eboshi and the shogun were the only ones who didn't wince. Ayuto's body was shaking but she didn't let herself collapse. Through gritted teeth, she continued speaking.

"I don't care if he lost his sons or if his brother was killed in his campaign," She said in a near-growl. "He hasn't been punished for anything he's done!"

"The sacrifices he made-"

"Don't make up for the fact he had my family killed for no reason!" Ayuto braced against the table, stopping herself from lunging towards the shogun. "He lost the people around him because he sent them battle, not because he sent soldiers to kill them. Why is it he's allowed to kill people who have done nothing against him yet is still able to walk free, much less rule over nation?"

"Because he is a tremendous leader in terms of strategy. I do not agree with everything he does, but no other daimyo would have been able to keep the land unified. Even then, there are lords who fight one another, and I doubt that the nation will see peace within the emperor's lifetime. This is why I have not taken action for what he has done in the past. Were he to try what he did to your village to one of the settlements he controls, I wouldn't allow the army to match."

Ayuto's hands slipped off the desk and dropped in front of her. Her eyes grew calm as she hanged her head, facing the tan wooden floor. She saw that the shogun wasn't going to do anything. "Then nothing will be done?"

The shogun stayed silent aside from a sigh. He didn't want to tell Ayuto that the emperor could waive punishments against him with little effort but he didn't consider it wise to take the emperor out of power.

"I don't know if it makes a difference, my lord, but my home village was also destroyed by the emperor," Ashitaka chimed in. "This was not too long ago and we did nothing to provoke the attack."

That made the shogun's head snap up. "Where was this?" He asked.

"It was a mountain village and I couldn't find it on a map if I tried. I haven't lived there for some time now, but one of the villagers escaped and told me what happened. When we were coming here, the emperor and several of his personal guards attacked us. Most of us escaped, but my friend was captured along with two others. We recovered the other two but I fear my friend may have been killed."

The shogun leaned back and rubbed his left temple with two fingers. He couldn't imagine that the peasants would be pleased to learn that the emperor destroyed a village under his rule. Putting a tighter leash on the emperor was something he and other officers had considered, though they didn't think it would be necessary. With this newfound knowledge, he decided that perhaps it was time to limit the emperor's power to a limited level.

"This is something I must address," the shogun said. "If you can give me a general location, I can send scouts to survey the damage."

Ashitaka hesitated before he gave an answer. He was sworn to never reveal where the Emishi lived, even if he was no longer one of their people. Nevertheless, if they were gone, what point was there?

"East of Irontown in the mountains. I passed by a few villages and had to cross several rivers to reach Irontown, so it may take your scouts a while to find it."

"My scouts can find an eagle's nest with even only vague descriptions of its location. This village, no matter how well hidden, should be no problem."

"Very well."

* * *

The meeting with the shogun ended after another half-hour. They were escorted back to the gates by the same four bodyguards who had brought them to the castle. Lady Eboshi left satisfied; one hundred and twenty trained soldiers were far more effective than leaving it up to her people to battle. She wasn't going to let the samurai run rampant. If they weren't satisfied with serving a woman, she will treat them with equal respect. Ashitaka left unsure if he did the right thing. His eyes were staring at the ground as they left the palace. San noticed the distress he was feeling and pressed her forehead against his shoulder. Her gesture made Ashitaka's gloomy face brighten with a smile; it was something he was sure came from her brothers.

Ayuto left with her mind swimming with doubt. The shogun said he would do something about it but Ashitaka never mentioned that his people didn't serve the emperor. She wondered what would happen if the shogun discovered that fact. Her only silver lining was that she knew who killed her family and why: the emperor's soldiers in an effort to make the daimyo bend his knee out of fear. It only helped to solve the answer to question she's harbored for almost ten years. Despite the end of her long journey and the destination she managed to reach, she was glad, if not somber, and looked forward to her future.

"Well, I have to say that was a success, don't you think?" Lady Eboshi asked as they returned to the inn.

"I suppose," Ashitaka answered in a quiet voice. Shojubo glanced toward Ayuto, expecting her not to reply. However, she nodded to Eboshi's question. He didn't ask her about it until they reached the inn. Everyone returned to their rooms, ready to head home once it was morning. Ayuto laid flat on the futon once she and Shojubo arrived to their room.

"Are you okay?" Shojubo asked after closing the door.

"I'm fine," Ayuto replied with a nod.

"Alright; you just seemed, well, tense back at the palace."

"I'm sorry we couldn't do more."

Ayuto shook her head. "Don't be sorry. There's nothing we can do short of killing him ourselves."

Shojubo's head jerked up. He looked over towards Ayuto, unsure of whether or not she was serious about the idea. Even speaking about such a crime could get them arrested. However, she was calm, still on her futon with her hands folded behind her head and her eyes shut as if to rest them.

"I'm actually going to try that," Ayuto reassured him as she opened one eye to see his wide stare. "There's more for me to lose than to gain, far more."

"Good to hear," Shojubo mumbled. His gaze calmed to that of a man who had finished a half-day's worth of farming.

Ayuto sat up from her bed and asked, "You're still bringing me to your home when we get back, right?"

A smile cracked on Shojubo's face. "Of course; I'm not going back on what I said."

The air in the room felt lighter when Ayuto heard those words. Wondering what she was going to do after reaching the capital, a burdening thought which haunted her before sleep each night, was finally over. It was a raincloud muddying her mind which at last ran dry. Like the afternoon sky outside, the horizon of her future was clear and bright, its storm having passed with no damage done.

"Shojubo," Ayuto called as she hopped to her feet. "Let's go out again tonight."

Shojubo nodded, his grin fixed. "I'd like that."

Ayuto smiled back and took his hands. Shojubo felt his face blush but he didn't try to hide it. He felt it would be rude to pull his hands away; after all, Ayuto wasn't trying to mask her reddened face.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey-yo, everyone, this is BlackSabbath4Ever chiming in just to say that I want to thank 4fireking for the chance to help work on this story and also thank HeroOtaku9 for setting this up. This story was somewhat different from my own work and I was glad to do something a bit out of my comfort field. If you want to see anything else I've written, check out my profile. 'Til then, here is the next and final chapter to this story.**

* * *

The sun rose on the crisp early-spring morning. Its warmth did little to shield Ayuto from the cold, though the fuzzy woolen blanket served well to keep goosebumps from appearing on her skin. Her eyes fluttered as she awoke. There wasn't much time left before she had to get up and head to the fields. That didn't bother her. Waking up just after dawn was a small price to pay in exchange for what she had been given.

There was no trouble for her, Shojubo, or the others during their trip home. The emperor sent no agents, there were no thugs stalking the road, and nobody caught an illness. It was far smoother than their journey to the capital. Lady Eboshi, Toki, and Kohroku immediately returned to Irontown. Ashitaka decided to go with San to the forest; Ayuto was unsure when he was going back to Irontown but he didn't seem in a hurry.

Shojubo's mother embraced Shojubo the moment she saw him. She didn't even notice Ayuto, who wondered if she was ever going to release Shojubo. When she finall did, Shojubo introduced Ayuto. He explained who she was, how they both helped each other during their journey, and the promise that he made to her. His mother sighed and agreed to a residency. While she wasn't pleased that Shojubo made such a promise without consulting her, she didn't want to be the reason he couldn't keep it. The only requirement for Ayuto to stay was that she would have to help farm. Since there was no room in the house for an extra person, she would have to sleep in an unused hut near the farm's outskirts. Ayuto readily agreed. Those conditions were more than acceptable to her.

The hut Ayuto lived in was a small one-room house. It contained little furniture, only a bed and small chest where her clothes were kept. Beneath her clothes were her two knives. They hadn't been removed since she placed them there two weeks ago. One of the dresses piled atop the blades was removed as Ayuto prepared for the day. Shojubo's mother had several smaller dresses from when she was a younger woman. Ayuto well in them, the bottom hem reaching her knees. She tied the sash which kept it closed and slipped her sandals on her feet.

Today, Ayuto and Shojubo were only working until the afternoon. There were guests coming later and it would be rude to leave them alone while the two toiled in the fields. Until then, Ayuto made her way toward the rice fields. She was sure Shojubo was already there. He had grown up accustomed to waking up at a certain hour while she had no such timeframe.

Sure enough, Shojubo was standing at the field with an empty basket for the rice. He would carry the container while Ayuto gathered the crop. She was the first to greet, waving her hand when she saw him. Shojubo waved back. Both were smiling despite the tedious task which awaited them. They greeted each other and embraced,

"Should we get started?" Ayuto asked when the released each other. Shojubo nodded and hoisted the basket onto his back, slipping his arms into the straps that fastened it in place.

They walked down the paddy field, their ankles submerged in the muddy water. Ayuto crouched to gather the rice rather than bending her back. It was repetitive work made bearable by their conversations, brief as they were. Shojubo no longer minded the monotonous task as much. It was better than being attacked by samurai or assassins and much less straining than watching the horizon tread endlessly while traveling. He was astounded Ayuto hadn't gone insane from her time on her own.

"How are things here so far?" Shojubo asked as he opened the basket lid for the dozenth time.

"Everything is well," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to be sure," he replied. "Changing from a life of constant traveling to one like this, I can't imagine it was the smoothest transition."

"It is very different but much more desirable. I've heard others complain about how dull this work is, and I'm sure I will take on that attitude one day, but for now it is a perfect trade from when I was wondering how I will survive the next day."

Shojubo smiled, pleased to see that Ayuto was happy. They hadn't been able to talk much outside of their time in the fields. Both headed to sleep soon after eating dinner so that they could wake up early the next morning. Their conversations so far revolved around the people who also worked in the fields, the minute tasks one had to take as a farmer, and the other chores they will have to do once the crops no longer needed to be tended for the season.

Once the basket was full, they brought it to the main house and fetched an empty container, repeating the process twice before it was noon. The three barrels stood side-by-side with their tops poking up from the rice. Their two visitors, Ashitaka and San, weren't due for what they expected was another few hours. They retired to the main room and relaxed on the cloth covering the wooden floor. It didn't do much to decrease the discomfort but it was better than having splinters dig into their skin. Shojubo's mother was in the village that day. She was helping weave several crates of cloth into clothes. Normally she would remain on the farm, but with the extra help in the form of Ayuto, she was able to take the time to head over and help.

Ayuto and Shojubo sat next to each other at a low table. Shojubo's fingers tapped on the wooden surface while Ayuto rested hers on her knees. Her eyes were closed as her breathing slowed, a calm meditation she practiced that eased some of the aches in her body. She felt less pain in her legs now that they weren't constantly on the move. There were breaks during work. When she was traveling to the capital, she rarely stopped for anything other than food and sleep. Those choices were out of stubbornness rather than necessity. Having a strict schedule helped her balance time.

"Do you think we'll ever go traveling again?" Ayuto asked. A laugh caught in Shojubo's throat managed to force through despite his efforts to conceal it.

"Not anytime soon," he replied. "I suppose it can't hurt every once in awhile but that won't be for a long time, I think. Hopefully we won't be attacked next time."

Ayuto smiled and nodded.

"It will be hard for us to go traveling just for the sake of getting out of the village," Shojubo continued. "There's a lot of work year-round, even when the crops are in a period of rotation."

"You'll have to teach me what this period of rotation is," Ayuto said.

"It's pretty easy to explain. I'll tell you more when its time to implement it. Shouldn't be too difficult."

"Then why can't you-"

A knock on the door cut off Ayuto. She and Shojubo got up at the same time to answer, though she was faster. Shojubo sat back down as Ayuto opened the rickety wooden door. He already knew who was there. Ashitaka's face, beaming with a bright smile, peeked just above Ayuto's shoulders. San's jagged-cut, neck-length hair came into view as she shuffled to the side, gazing into the house.

"Hello Ashitaka, San," Ayuto greeted with a bow.

"Hello," Ashitaka returned her greeting. San wordlessly bowed in response. "Hi, Shojubo."

"Hey there," Shojubo said as he hopped onto his feet. "How was everything on the way here?"

"Very calm, nothing very exciting," Ashitaka replied.

"This is where you live?" San asked as she poked her head into the main room.

"This is just the front room, but yes," Shojubo answered. "It's pretty small but large enough for my mother and I."

"Where do you stay, Ayuto?"

"There's a hut not too far from here where I sleep," she replied. "I imagine you wouldn't like it very much. You're too used to the open space of the forest, right?"

San nodded and followed Ashitaka inside. They sat across Shojubo and Ayuto at the low table. Ashitaka didn't mind the somewhat cramped space. There wasn't much furniture aside from the table and a few cushions, making it feel more spacious. Light poured through the windows. Dust specks floated in the golden rays but nobody noticed them drift.

"How is everything in Irontown?" Shojubo asked.

"It's been calm ever since we returned," Ashitaka replied. "Kohroku couldn't be happier to be back. I think that Toki wouldn't have minded some more time in the capital but she said that she didn't want to leave the rest of the women with her work. Lady Eboshi is as good a leader as ever. The townspeople welcomed her back with open arms."

Ayuto nodded. "When's her reinforcements supposed to arrive?"

"In a few weeks, most likely. She said that they'll be there in time to stop an attack from Lord Asano if he tries anything. Even if he does invade, he may not actually attack; going to war against an ally of the shogun could cause him major problems."

They continued speaking idly for several hours, their conversations going on longer than when they were traveling. Though they had more time while on the road, they didn't speak as often. Nobody felt much like talking while their bodies were fatigued. San didn't speak as often as the others. She tended to talk at length when she was asked about her battles against Irontown. Ayuto told tales from when she traveled alone. Shojubo had few stories to tell but kept the others going by asking about details. Ashitaka spoke of his people and their ways, though he did not reveal all of the Emishi's secrets. There were things he had not even told San.

Before long, the afternoon sky deepened from bright blue to a near-indigo shade. Nobody registered the passage of time, their minds lost in the stories they traded. Ashitaka and San planned leaving once it was dusk. The time was drawing near for their time to leave. They stood and bowed to Shojubo and Ayuto, thanking them for the stay.

"We'll try to visit soon," Ashitaka said at the door.

"That'd be great," Shojubo remarked. "I hope you two get back safely." He noticed that Ashitaka's sword was tucked into his sash. San's spear was outside the house, implanted in the dirt.

"That shouldn't be a problem," San said.

"I hope everything remains well in Irontown, Ashitaka," Ayuto said as she walked to the door. "San, keep your home safe."

San nodded even though the advice was not needed. She would fight to defend the forest if the need arose, though she suspected that there wouldn't be a need anytime in the near future.

* * *

The pale moon shone dim white light onto the pools of water in the distant rice fields. Ayuto could see them sparkle in the distance. She in the doorway of her borrowed hut, having found herself unable to sleep. Stars twinkled above. When she looked up, Ayuto wondered if she could truly believe that she and Shojubo would be able to lead a life without problems.

"That's foolish," she muttered. "There will always be something troubling us."

She was still having trouble fully transitioning to what most people deemed a normal life. For her, a normal life was four hours of sleep a night so that she could hunt while there were plenty of animals wandering in the dark. A normal life was wondering if there was anybody in the next village who knew that she was wanted for killing samurai. Normal was having two daggers ready to use at any time. Ayuto's sigh mixed with the chirping crickets. Two weeks still wasn't enough to get used to her new surroundings. Her feelings for Shojubo kept her bound to the area. Aside from him, she had no reason to stay. There were no goals she wanted to accomplish.

Ayuto's head snapped up when she heard footsteps shuffling through the grass. She saw Shojubo coming and rubbed her temples with one hand. There was no need to feel paranoid. The only ones who would be on the farm this late at night would be her, Shojubo, or his mother. A thief wouldn't find much worth stealing and the samurai didn't wander the roads in the evening very often.

"Are you okay, Ayuto?" Shojubo asked when he saw her sitting. She sensed some concern in his voice, though nothing approaching a fearful level.

"I'm fine, just not very tired," Ayuto replied with a soft smile. Shojubo's face reflected her own. He could remember when she wouldn't even so much as grin.

"That's good to hear. Anyway, I just came to say goodnight. I've been forgetting to do that recently." Shojubo scratched the back of his head and glanced away. It wasn't that he forgot due to poor memory. His brain was just as exhausted as his body after a day's worth of farming and coming to Ayuto's hut constantly slipped his mind.

"It's okay, Shojubo, I probably should have gone to you as well."

Shojubo shrugged and glanced up at the white moon. It looked as smooth as a glass sphere. There was not one cloud in the sky, allowing the combined light of the stars and moon to illuminate the silent farmlands.

"Is your mother back yet?" Ayuto asked.

Shojubo shook his head. "She'll probably be back tomorrow night."

Ayuto quickly glanced back into her hut before asking, "Then would you like to stay with me for the night? All I have for company is the crickets at the moment."

Shojubo nodded without a second thought, his smile slightly wider than earlier. He helped Ayuto to her feet and followed her to her futon. They were both slender enough to fit without feeling uncomfortable.

Despite the frigid air, the two kept each other warm. They lay on their sides, facing one another with their arms wrapped around them. Shojubo was happy enough being able to spend the night with Ayuto. For Ayuto, it was a reminder of a new, peaceful life which she was still fine-tuning. When everything was smoothed out over time, it will be the life she could have led. She wasn't sure if her travels were for the better. Though they may have made her who she was now and led her to meet Shojubo, it was a terrible cost which she paid.

_There's no point in trying to change the past_, Ayuto thought as Shojubo closed his eyes to sleep. _I shouldn't focus on the what-ifs or what-could-have-beens_. _My future is waiting for me to craft it_.

Ayuto's eyes closed soon after. Atop the cotton-stuffed futon, both were smiling as they breathed softly in the night, asleep with warm hearts in the crisp wind. They suffered to get to where they were now, yet neither felt regret as they held their partner close. Shojubo, who had few aspirations as an average village boy, and Ayuto, who had a singular goal which she would never change until it was met, discovered somebody who gave the other hope, a reason to see the sun rising in the east. Their future was as bright as the morning star. No matter what happened in the past or what was awaiting them in the future, it wouldn't change one fact they held dear in the present: they were happy.


End file.
